Pressure Mounts on Spanish Soccer Chief Over Kiss at World Cup

The strain is on for Luis Rubiales, the president of Spain’s nationwide soccer federation, to give up.

Prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation on Monday into whether or not his kiss of the ahead Jennifer Hermoso, through the medals ceremony after she and her teammates received the Women’s World Cup for Spain final week, was an act of sexual aggression.

In an emergency assembly that went on late into Monday evening, Spain’s regional soccer chiefs unanimously requested him to step down instantly. The president of the National Sports Council stated in a televised news convention on Monday that Mr. Rubiales ought to have handed in his discover final Friday. And in Madrid on Monday evening, a whole bunch of individuals took to the streets, waving crimson playing cards and demanding Mr. Rubiales’s resignation.

But Mr. Rubiales has remained defiant. Since Friday — when he stated “I will not resign” 5 instances — he has been holed up together with his household in his hometown, Motril.

Mr. Rubiales, a former skilled soccer participant, had hoped to play a match with pals on Saturday night on the city’s municipal stadium. Feminist teams threatened to protest outdoors the gates, and the city council ordered it canceled, saying it couldn’t assure Mr. Rubiales’s security.

There are additionally some indicators of backing for him within the city, nonetheless.

Mr. Rubiales’s mom has been on starvation strike in a church in Motril since Monday, protesting towards what she has known as the “inhumane and bloody hunt” towards her son. On Monday evening, responding to a name by Mr. Rubiales’s cousins, individuals congregated outdoors the church in help, some with posters aimed toward Ms. Hermoso saying: “Jenni, tell the truth.” A police estimate cited within the Spanish media put the gang at round 200.

On Monday, Spain’s public prosecutors opened a pretrial investigation to ascertain whether or not the nonconsensual kiss Mr. Rubiales pressed on Ms. Hermoso was an act of sexual aggression, against the law that’s punishable by as much as 4 years in jail. Ms. Hermoso was broadly reported to have been given 15 days to return ahead with a proper grievance that may enable the prosecutors to proceed.

As a younger man, Mr. Rubiales, 46, loved a profession as a soccer participant within the Spanish league. He grew to become president of the Spanish soccer gamers’ affiliation in 2010 after which took over the presidency of the Royal Spanish Football Federation 5 years in the past.

On Tuesday morning, there was no news from Mr. Rubiales. If he refuses to go voluntarily, the federation he presides over might maintain a vote of no confidence to oust him.

The Spanish authorities, in the interim, has its fingers tied. According to press stories, it will probably intervene provided that the Court of Arbitration for Sport considers the kiss to be a “very serious infraction.” On Monday, the stories stated, the court docket requested for extra documentation earlier than reaching a call.

In a news convention on Tuesday morning, the performing sports activities minister, Miquel Iceta, was questioned about what steps the federal government was taking to take away Mr. Rubiales. “We all want this matter to be resolved as soon as possible,” Mr. Iceta stated. “But we must also ensure that it is done rigorously and with all the legal guarantees — among other reasons, to prevent an appeal that could reverse whatever decisions are made.”