Defiant Hermoso beams from stands at football match as Spanish FA call ‘urgent’ meeting over Rubiales kissgate scandal
JENNI HERMOSO beamed in the stands at a football match amid her ongoing kissgate row – as the Spanish FA called an ‘urgent’ meeting about the scandal.
The sport continued to show its support for the midfielder with Sevilla wearing T-shirts with messages of solidarity.
Disgraced Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales inexplicably kissed Hermoso on the lips as she came up to receive her Women’s World Cup winner’s medal in Sydney last Sunday.
The incident led to widespread criticism of Rubiales – which extended into his controversial leadership of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), who today launched an internal investigation after its sexual violence protocol was activated.
Pedro Rocha – who took over as the RFEF’s interim president after Rubiales was suspended by Fifa on Saturday – also called an emergency meeting, which will take place on Monday.
The meeting is set to “evaluate the situation in which the federation finds itself” and look at the “decisions or actions to be taken”.
The head of the Spanish FA initially hit out at the “idiots” who slammed his behaviour as pressure mounted on him to resign.
And the ongoing backlash exposed the toxicity within Spanish football, including Rubiales’ support of hated manager Jorge Vilda.
The RFEF have continued to defend their chief, ignoring Hermoso’s own version of events and instead threatening her with legal action.
Rubiales, meanwhile, was suspended by Fifa for at least 90 days on Saturday as the world governing body try and take control of the row.
Hermoso, 33, tried to put the drama behind her by going on holiday with her team-mates in Ibiza this week.
And on Saturday evening she was all smiles watching Atletico Madrid take on AC Milan in the Women’s Cup pre-season tournament at the Spanish club’s training ground.
Hermoso, wearing a red top and black trousers, looked relaxed as she waved from her seat and posed for selfies with fans.
The people she was with revealed ‘#Contigo Jennifer Hermoso’ t-shirts – ‘contigo’ means ‘with you’.
The two sets of players also stood together before kick-off and unfurled a banner with the same message, while one player held up a Spain shirt with Hermoso’s No10 on the back.
Across Spain at Sevilla last night, the home players warmed up for their LaLiga clash against high-flying Girona in white tops over their kits.
The words ‘#SeAcabo’ were printed in red on the front – which translates as ‘it’s over’.
And Cadiz revealed a banner before their 1-1 draw with Almeria to state: “We are all Jenni.”
Since the kiss, Hermoso has publicly reiterated she did “not enjoy” it and that the act was not consensual – despite Rubiales’ claims it was.
She revealed she felt “vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-driven, sexist, out-of-place act without any consent on my part” in a brave Instagram post.
Rubiales gave a weak apology on Monday but refused to resign in a press conference four days later, insisting he was the victim of a “social assassination” from “false feminism” for a “consensual, spontaneous little peck”.
The Spanish football federation’s protocol’s protection delegate, Maria Dolores Martinez Madrona, confirmed an investigation is underway.
She said: “Our protocol is currently activated and in the midst of investigating the events, thus we demand the utmost respect for the right to privacy and dignity of all individuals involved,” she said in a letter published by the federation (RFEF).
“As the protection delegate for sexual violence, my duty is to adhere to the protocol and safeguard the privacy of those affected by this incident and of the Sexual Violence Advisory Committee.”
Various politicians, players and teams – including the Lionesses squad – have slammed Rubiales’ decision not to step down.
And 81 Spanish women players – as well as men’s international Borja Iglesias – have all quit and are refusing to play until the head of the RFEF leaves and there is a change in leadership.
The full coaching staff of Spain’s women’s side have also resigned with the exception of head coach Vilda, who applauded Rubiales’ announcement at the press conference.