(Reuters) – Spanish football federation (RFEF) President Luis Rubiales refused to resign on Friday over his kiss on the lips of soccer player Jenni Hermoso following Spain’s World Cup victory. Following are quotes and reactions:
RFEF PRESIDENT LUIS RUBIALES
“Is a consensual peck going to take me out of here? I won’t resign. I will fight until the end,” he said at an RFEF emergency assembly.
SPAIN’S ACTING LABOUR MINISTER YOLANDA DIAZ
“What we have seen today in the Federation Assembly is unacceptable. The Government must act and take urgent measures: Impunity for macho actions is over. Rubiales cannot continue in office.”
SPAIN’S GENDER EQUALITY MINISTER IRENE MONTERO
“Rubiales seeks impunity. In the face of this, the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the CSD act to protect the player, to say no to machismo and to guarantee the right to sexual freedom. Now more than ever, Jenni Hermoso, you are not alone.”
SPAIN’S ACTING SOCIAL RIGHTS MINISTER IONE BELARRA
“Consent is not decided by the aggressor, it is decided by the woman. Mr. Rubiales’ violent, mafia-like discourse will not work against a country that has already changed. Everyone already knows what kind of man he is.”
WORLD CUP CHAMPION AND BALLON D’OR WINNER ALEXIA PUTELLAS
“This is unacceptable. It is over. With you partner Jenni Hermoso.”
WORLD CUP CHAMPION AND GOLDEN BALL WINNER AITANA BONMATI
“There are limits that cannot be crossed and we cannot tolerate this. We are with you partner (Hermoso).”
PATRI GUIJARRO, WHO WAS NOT SELECTED AFTER PLAYER PROTEST
“It’s over. With you Jenni Hermoso. Regrettable to get to this point to believe that the complaints months ago were real.”
FORMER SPAIN CAPTAIN AND WORLD CUP WINNER IKER CASILLAS
“We should be these, (in the last) five days be talking about our girls! About the joy they gave us all! Of boasting a title that we didn’t have in women’s soccer.”
GLOBAL PLAYERS’ UNION FIFPRO
“We welcome FIFA’s decision to open an ethics case, and steps taken at national level in Spain. Furthermore, we have written to UEFA – the organisation of which Mr Rubiales is a vice-president – requesting that it starts disciplinary proceedings.
“Any lack of action by authorities in addressing the conduct of Mr Rubiales would send an entirely unacceptable and damaging message to the football industry and wider society.”
FIFPRO PRESIDENT DAVID AGANZO
“I am embarrassed by the shame that continues to be for Spanish soccer to have a president of the RFEF who continues to cling to the position.
“The Secretary of State for Sport should immediately raise the case to the TAD (Spanish Court of Arbitration in Sport) so that Rubiales is immediately disqualified.”
HERMOSO’S FORMER CLUB BARCELONA
“After the Extraordinary Assembly of the RFEF… it seems that the explanations given by the president of the Federation, Mr Rubiales, have been sufficient for the members present at the Assembly who had the power to ratify him in office.
“However, FC Barcelona wishes to make it clear that it considers the actions of the president of the RFEF during the celebration of the Women’s World Cup to be totally inappropriate and unfortunate.”
(Compiled by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru and Milan Pavicic in Gdansk; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
