Spain’s Rubiales faces calls to be sacked after ‘disgusting’ Hermoso kiss
Al JazeeraJennifer Hermoso and the Spanish women’s league have asked for ‘exemplary measures’ to be taken against the football chief over his ‘disgusting behaviour’ after the World Cup final. Spain’s women’s football league has demanded that Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales be sacked for kissing star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the country’s World Cup victory, describing his behaviour as “disgusting”. Spanish football federation chief Rubiales, 46, has been heavily criticised for planting a kiss on Hermoso’s lips following her team’s 1-0 triumph over England in the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney on Sunday. The union continued the statement by adding: “We are working so that the acts like the ones we witnessed don’t go unpunished, are sanctioned, and that pertinent measures are adopted to protect football players against actions that are unacceptable.” The incident – which happened as Rubiales was presenting the players with their gold medals after they beat England 1-0 in the final on Sunday – sparked outrage within and outside Spain and many people, including government ministers, demanded his resignation. ‘Unprecedented international disgrace’ Spain’s women’s football league, La Liga F, called for Rubiales to be dismissed and said it had lodged a complaint with the president of the National Sports Council over his “very serious actions and behaviour”.