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Journalism of Courage
A day after Barcelona coach Xavi voiced his support for Spanish player Jenni Hermoso who was forcibly kissed by the country’s FA chief Luis Rubiales following the Women’s World Cup victory, former La Roja international Andres Iniesta penned down his thoughts about the incident.
“After what has happened this week, I would like to convey my sadness, as a person, as the father of three daughters, as a husband and as a footballer, in the face of the events that we are experiencing in our football and around the Spanish women’s team,” he wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter)
“I believe that we cannot tolerate performances like the ones we have seen, which have tarnished a milestone as big as winning a World Cup. I cannot imagine the feeling that all the players of the national team must have right now seeing how they are not talking about the great tournament they had and the fantastic football they taught us all. It’s a shame that a beautiful story that many players have built over so many years has become dirty,” he added.
Amidst the backlash after the incident within and outside Spain, Rubiales was asked to step down and he was expected to announce his resignation on Friday but instead, he stated he won’t step down.
“We have had to put up with a president who has held on to his position, who has not admitted that his behaviour has been unacceptable and that it is damaging the image of our country and our football around the world,” Iniesta further wrote.
On Saturday, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee provisionally suspended Luis Rubiales for 90 days. “The chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee… has decided today to provisionally suspend Mr Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level,” FIFA said in a statement.
The world football governing body’s disciplinary committee also ordered Rubiales and RFEF officials and employees alike to refrain from contacting or attempting to contact Hermoso or those around her. The Spanish national team that won the World Cup as well as several other national players have said they would not play international matches while Rubiales remains head of the federation.
“The decision adopted by the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has been communicated today to Mr Luis Rubiales, the RFEF and (European soccer body) UEFA for due compliance.”
The committee said it would not provide any further information on the disciplinary proceedings until a final decision was taken.
