Spain Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales announced on Sunday that he has finally resigned from the role following the kissing incident with La Roja star Jennifer Hermoso.
Rubiales, who had already been suspended for three months from all football activities by world governing body FIFA, sat down with British journalist Piers Morgan on his show tagged “Uncensored” to discuss the whole incident.
The 46-year-old former footballer kissed the Mexico-based midfielder on the lips during the award ceremony of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which Spain won, and has since received heavy criticism for it.
Hermoso, who said she never consented to the kiss as it was against her will, filed a complaint with the Spanish high court last week through her prosecutor for sexual assault and coercion.
The embattled Rubiales said he had sent his resignation letter to RFEF acting president Pedro Rocha as his position had become “untenable”.
“After the rapid suspension carried out by FIFA, plus the rest of the proceedings opened against me, it is clear that I will not be able to return to my position,” Rubiales wrote in his statement.
“Insisting on waiting and clinging is not going to contribute anything positive, neither to the Federation nor to Spanish football,” he added. “Among other things, because there are de facto powers that will prevent my return.
Rubiales, who has been at the top of Spanish football since 2018, said he had also stepped down as vice president of the European football body UEFA.
However, the former Xerez and Levante defender, who initially refused to resign, continued to insist that the kiss was consensual, and when asked by Morgan about what changed his decision, he replied, My family and some friends.
He said: “My father, my daughters, I spoke with them – they know it’s not a question about me – and some friends very close to me said to me ‘Luis, you need to focus on your dignity and to continue your life because if not, you are going to damage people you love and the sport you love’.”
“This was a question of not only me. An attitude towards me can affect third parties [that are] very important. It was the intelligent thing that I had to do.
“My daughters, my family and the people who love me have suffered the effects of excessive persecution, as well as many falsehoods, but it is also true that on the street, more and more every day, the truth is prevailing.
“I have faith in the truth and I am going to do everything in my power to make it prevail,” he said.
Rubiales also added that he hopes his departure from his role will help Spain’s joint bid with Morocco and Portugal for the hosting rights of the 2030 World Cup.
