After the kissing scandal
Government intervenes in Spanish football dispute
Luis Rubiales kissed Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth after the World Cup victory. photo
© John Cowpland/Rfef/AP/EUROPA PRESS/dpa
The dispute between Spanish national soccer players and the association continues to escalate. Now even the government is intervening in the face of the strike.
In view of the complete impasse due to the Spanish strike The government in Madrid has now intervened in the women’s soccer world champions. The president of the highest Spanish sports authority CSD, Víctor Francos, announced an attempt at mediation, but at the same time warned the striking footballers of legal consequences.
After the kissing scandal at the World Cup, it is about the world champions’ refusal to play in the national team until there are far-reaching measures against male dominance in the RFEF football association. It is still unclear which team Spain will compete with in the next Nations League games, which also involve qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games.
The scandal was triggered by RFEF President Luis Rubiales, who has since resigned, when he kissed world champion Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth without being asked at the award ceremony on August 20 in Sydney.
Franco announced an attempt to resolve the crisis at the last moment. “Tomorrow morning I will call a number of people from the national team to talk to them. I think there is a point where the government has to intervene; not everything is allowed,” he told El Larguero radio station on Monday evening. “If the players don’t compete, I’m sorry, the government must act and enforce the law,” he warned.
Penalties threaten
According to Spanish sports law, refusing to compete despite being nominated is a particularly serious offense. It can result in fines of between 3,000 and 30,000 euros and bans of between 2 and 15 years.
On Monday, the new national coach Montse Tomé nominated 15 world champions for the Nations League games on Friday in Sweden and on the following Tuesday at home against Switzerland, even though these athletes, along with other colleagues, had announced their strike days ago. Late on Monday evening they confirmed their refusal.
Goal Olympic victory
Francos emphasized that the government was on the side of the players and was not interested in punishing them. “We will tell the players that we will do whatever is necessary to solve the problem, but we ask them to go to the Games. We want them to become Olympic champions,” he said.
The players emphasized that the nomination made by Tomé on Monday violated the procedural regulations of the world association FIFA. Accordingly, athletes would have to be informed in writing at least 15 days before the nomination.