Spanish Football Federation: Luis Rubiales suspended by FIFA over behaviour at the World Cup final

Luis Rubiales has been provisionally suspended after last week’s World Cup final.

Luis Rubiales has been provisionally suspended by FIFA following the Spanish Football Federation president's conduct at last week's women's World Cup final.

Rubiales has refused to resign from his post despite a major uproar caused by him kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips while she collected her medal after Spain's 1-0 win over England in Sydney last weekend.

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Hermoso stressed on Friday she did not consent to the kiss but her country's football federation (RFEF) announced an intention to take legal action over the comments made by the forward over Rubiales.

File photo dated 20-08-2023 of Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales. FIFA has suspended Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level in relation to his conduct at the women’s World Cup final in Sydney. Issue date: Saturday August 26, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Spain. Photo credit should read Isabel Infantes/PA Wire.File photo dated 20-08-2023 of Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales. FIFA has suspended Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level in relation to his conduct at the women’s World Cup final in Sydney. Issue date: Saturday August 26, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Spain. Photo credit should read Isabel Infantes/PA Wire.
File photo dated 20-08-2023 of Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales. FIFA has suspended Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level in relation to his conduct at the women’s World Cup final in Sydney. Issue date: Saturday August 26, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Spain. Photo credit should read Isabel Infantes/PA Wire.

The situation took a further twist as FIFA, which opened disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales on Thursday, announced in a statement the 46-year-old official was banned "from all football-related activities at national and international level" for an initial period of 90 days.

The Spanish Football Federation earlier announced an intention to take legal action over comments made about its president Luis Rubiales by World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso.

Hermoso was quoted in a statement issued by Futpro, the players' union representing her, as stating "in no case did I seek to raise (lift) the president" during a a podium embrace after the World Cup final between Spain and England in Sydney.

The Federation said it has analysed four images of Hermoso and Rubiales embracing, claiming they show it was Hermoso's force that lifted him.

Hermoso had accused the Federation of a "manipulative, hostile and controlling culture" as the World Cup-winning squad refused to play while Rubiales remains in post.

A total of 81 players signed a letter stating they will not accept national team call-ups while Rubiales refuses to resign after kissing Hermoso - who has stressed she did not consent - following the country's World Cup win.

He claimed it was "spontaneous, mutual, euphoric and consensual" but Hermoso, who previously suggested comments playing down the incident attributed to her by the federation were false, hit back with an attack on the organisation as a whole.

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The Federation said: "The RFEF announces the presentation of as many legal actions as may correspond in defence of the honourability of the President of the RFEF.”

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