Explained | Controversy around Spanish football president suspended over 'kiss'

FIFA has provisionally suspended Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities for 90 days following his unsolicited kiss of Spanish footballer Jenni Hermoso.

FIFA has provisionally suspended Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) from all football-related activities for 90 days following his unsolicited kiss of Spanish footballer Jenni Hermoso. 

“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 on Saturday.

FIFA had already said it launched disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales.

Luis Rubiales, the head of the Spanish football federation, has come under fire for kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain's 1-0 victory over England in the World Cup final in Sydney.

The Incident 

The kiss which happened during the post-match ceremony was captured on camera. Jenni Hermoso subsequently expressed her lack of consent regarding the kiss. 

The kiss has sparked outrage across social media against the Spanish football president. He has come under widespread criticism for his actions. Supportive messages for Hermoso came in from women's football and beyond. 

People across the world have condemned Rubiale's actions and demanded he be removed from his position. Protesters gathered outside the Spanish Football Federation headquarters to demand the resignation of Luis Rubiales. 

With Luis Rubiales responding that he won't resign from his post, the controversy has further escalated.

Statements from Jenni Hermoso and Luis Rubiales

Hermoso who first said it was a natural gesture of affection later, released a statement claiming that she was a 'victim of an impulse-driven, sexist, out of place act' and did not consent to this. 56 players have agreed with Hermoso who have refused to play until Rubiales was removed from his position. 

Rubiales was observed affectionately hugging and kissing several members of the Spanish national squad in addition to Hermoso.

Before that, while 16-year-old Infanta Sofia and Queen Letizia of Spain were watching, Rubiales was pictured making a victory signal with his crotch after it was confirmed that Spain had won the World Cup.

Rubiales has been heavily criticised for his actions. The Spanish football president was expected to resign but instead made an aggressive speech and a statement saying that he would not resign and that he was a victim of false feminism. 

He added that he asked for Hermoso’s consent before giving her a kiss which he said was a ‘mere peck’, the kind he would give to his daughter.

“I will fight until the end. I hope the law is enforced. The press neither seeks justice nor seeks the truth,” Rubiales said. “I am not going to resign, I am not going to resign.”

The Spanish Football Federation declared in response to the players' announcement that it will take "all legal actions.. in defence" of Rubiales. The statement contains images that, according to the Football Federation, corroborate his account of what happened.

The government's reaction 

The Spanish government has said that there will be appropriate action taken against Rubiales in the Spanish Court.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned Rubiales’s actions. 

Equality Minister Irene Montero said the kiss was a display of “sexual violence.” Spain’s minister of culture and sport, Miquel Iceta, added that it was “unacceptable”. 

UEFA, which oversees football in Europe, has yet to respond to the incident. 

People from the football world feel that the kiss has taken away the happiness of Spain’s women's football team winning the World Cup. 

Spain had defeated the Engalds team with a score of 1-0 to secure their maiden World Cup victory.