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Spanish FA chief Luis Rubiales suspended by FIFA and banned from contacting Jenni Hermoso
Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales has been provisionally banned by FIFA after kissing Jenni Hermoso.
Gloria Hunniford defends the Luis Rubiales World Cup kiss
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has confirmed that they have provisionally banned Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales after he kissed Women's World Cup star Jenni Hermoso following the nation's final victory over England, also prohibiting him from contacting the 33-year-old forward. Rubiales has been called to resign after huge uproar, but had pledged to remain in his role despite the controversy surrounding his position.
In a statement released by FIFA, the governing body wrote: "The chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, Jorge Ivan Palacio (Colombia), in use of the powers granted by article 51 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC), has decided today to provisionally suspend Mr. Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level. This suspension, which will be effective as of today, is for an initial period of 90 days, pending the disciplinary proceedings opened against Mr. Luis Rubiales on Thursday, August 24."
Rubiales has also been banned from contacting Hermoso or those close to her. The statement continued: "Likewise, the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and in order to preserve, among other factors, the fundamental rights of the national soccer team player Ms. Jennifer Hermoso and the good order of the disciplinary proceedings before this disciplinary body, has issued two additional directives (article 7 FDC) by which he orders Mr. Luis Rubiales to refrain, through himself or third parties, from contacting or attempting to contact the professional player of the Spanish national football team Ms. Jennifer Hermoso or her close environment.
"Likewise, the RFEF and its officials or employees, directly or through third parties, are ordered to refrain from contacting the professional player of the Spanish national team Ms. Jennifer Hermoso and her close environment. The decision adopted by the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has been communicated today to Mr. Luis Rubiales, the RFEF and UEFA for due compliance."
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Hermoso was kissed by Rubiales following Spain's 1-0 win over the Lionesses to win their first-ever Women's World Cup, and she said afterwards that the incident wasn't consensual. She and 55 other Spanish players have refused to play for their country again until Rubiales is removed from his position.
“I want to clarify that, as was seen in the images, at no time did I consent to the kiss he gave me,” Hermoso said in a statement published by players’ union Futpro. “I do not tolerate my word being questioned and much less the invention of words I have not said.”
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The joint statement read: “As a result of the events that occurred this morning and given the perplexity of the speech delivered by the president…the players of the senior team, recent world champions, in support of Jennifer Hermoso, want to express their firm and resounding condemnation of conduct that has violated the dignity of women,
“In view of the statements made by the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Jennifer Hermoso wants to flatly deny that she consented to the kiss that Luis Rubiales gave her in the World Cup final.
"After everything that happened during the Women’s World Cup medal ceremony, we want to state that all the players who sign this letter will not return to a call for the national team if the current leaders continue.”