Key Points
- FIFA suspended Luis Rubiales after it initiated disciplinary investigations.
- Rubiales is under fire after kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain's Women's World Cup win.
- Rubiales says he won't resign over the kiss scandal.
FIFA has suspended Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales from office while its disciplinary committee investigates his conduct at the Women's World Cup final, which included kissing a player without her consent.
FIFA said Rubiales is removed from football duties for 90 days "pending the disciplinary proceedings opened" against him Thursday.
Rubiales refused to resign from his football presidency Friday at an emergency meeting where he had been expected to leave under intense pressure from the Spanish government, women players plus football clubs and officials.
Spanish football player Jenni Hermoso. Source: SIPA USA / Sports Press Photo
The body's disciplinary judges can impose sanctions on individuals ranging from warnings and fines to suspensions from the sport.
Women's World Cup winners threatened with legal action
FIFA's move came after the Spanish federation had even threatened action against star player Jenni Hermoso for refusing to accept Rubiales's version of the kiss that happened at the on-field medal and trophy presentation .
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said that it would take legal action over Hermoso's comments about Rubiales.
RFEF said it would show there had been lies about what happened by Hermoso or people speaking for her.
A statement issued via the federation's website said that, "given the seriousness of the content" of a press release from the players' union, it would take legal action to defend Rubiales' honour.
However, it did not go into detail about the nature of the legal action.
What the FIFA suspension means for Rubiales
FIFA's suspension should prevent Rubiales from working in football or having contact with other officials.
FIFA disciplinary judge Jorge Palacio also intervened on Saturday to protect the "fundamental rights" of Hermoso and the integrity of the disciplinary case.
Palacio ordered 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," FIFA said in a statement.
"Likewise, the RFEF (Spanish football federation) 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," FIFA said.
Palacio is a Colombian lawyer and former member of its constitutional court who has worked in women's rights.
Support for Hermoso as coaches quit
Spain federation vice-president Rafael del Amo, who had been in charge of women's football, resigned. Four assistant coaches for Spain's senior team, plus two coaches of the women's youth teams, and five other staff members for the senior and youth women's teams also resigned on Saturday.
Meanwhile, messages of support for Hermoso poured in.
Before their game with Girona on Saturday, players from Sevilla's men's team wore T-shirts with the message, "This is over," echoing words Hermoso's teammate and two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas posted on social media.
Protestors demanding the resignation of the president of the Royal Spanish Soccer Federation Luis Rubiales. Source: EFE / Mariscal/EPA
Real Madrid, Barcelona and other clubs issued statements criticising Rubiales and backing the government's move to oust him. The European players' union and Spain's women's league both backed Hermoso.
Political parties from both the left and right in Spain said Rubiales was unfit to continue in his post. Iberia airlines and other sponsors for the federation said they were with the government as well.
Rubiales refuses to step down
Rubiales has also refused to heed calls to resign, leading the national team to mutiny and the government to denounce his "macho actions".
At an emergency general assembly of the federation on Friday Rubiales claimed he was a victim of a witch hunt by "false feminists".
In a joint statement sent via their FUTPRO union, all 23 of the cup-winning squad including Hermoso, as well as 32 other squad members, said they would not play internationals while Rubiales remains head of the RFEF.
In the same statement, Hermoso denied Rubiales' contention that the kiss he gave her at the medal ceremony after Spain beat England 1-0 in the final in Sydney, Australia, was consensual.
"I do not tolerate it when my word is put into doubt and less so when words that I have not said are invented," she wrote.
Several Spanish media outlets reported on Thursday that Rubiales was planning to step down. Instead, he told the overwhelmingly male assembly the kiss was "mutual and with the consent" of Hermoso.
Shortly before the forced kiss Rubiales had grabbed his crotch in a lewd victory gesture while standing close to Spain's Queen Letizia and the 16-year-old Princess Sofia.
The combination of the gesture and the unsolicited kiss has made .
The first attempt to respond to the scandal was a statement Spain's national federation released in the name of Hermoso in which she was quoted downplaying the incident.
Rubiales holds the No.3-ranking elected position in UEFA, the European governing body. UEFA pays him A$420,000 annually, plus expenses.
Neither UEFA nor its president, Aleksander Ceferin, has commented on the Rubiales scandal.
