SYDNEY/MADRID: Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales (pix) has drawn heavy criticism in his home country for kissing footballer Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth after the World Cup final in Sydney, reported German news agency (dpa).
Spain’s women beat England 1-0 to lift their first World Cup but the scenes before the trophy presentation left many in Spain uneasy, including goverment ministers.
“It is a form of sexual assault that, we, women suffer every day and that has been invisible until now and we must not normalise it,“ Spain’s Equality Minister Irene Montero wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Consent is key. Only a yes is a yes.”
Minister of Social Rights Ione Belarra also wrote about the incident on X.
“We are all thinking: if they do this in front of the whole of Spain, what will they not do in private? Sexual violence against women must end.”
Rubiales hugged all of Spain’s players but the 45-year-old also kissed Hermoso on the mouth after embracing her and kissing her on the cheek. -Bernama
