After days of suspense, the President of the International Association Football Federation (FIFA) Gianni Infantino has finally reacted to the controversial kiss Spanish Football Federation’s President Luis Rubiales planted on the lips of world champion soccer player Jenni Hermoso during the Women’s World Cup final medal ceremony.
Infantino condemned the forced kiss via an Instagram post on Thursday as he also congratulated the Spanish women’s team.
“This is the last day of the month when Spain was crowned FIFA Women’s World Cup winners for the very first time,” he wrote. “Sadly, however, the well-deserved celebrations for these magnificent champions were spoiled by what happened after the final whistle. . . . This should never have happened.”
After a week of pressure, Rubiales announced in a speech on August 25 that he would not step down considering the incident “not serious.” He conceded that he has been under pressure, and remarked that someone may try to remove him. He contended that a “consensual” kiss should not suffice to remove him, and that he would fight until the end. He said the law should be obeyed and that he should not be removed.
FIFA suspended Rubiales from his position as president on Saturday, August 26, citing the kiss, instigated legal proceedings, and prohibited him from further contact with Hermoso.
“FIFA has decided today to provisionally suspend Mr. Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at the national and international level. This suspension, which will be effective as of today, is for an initial period of 90 days, pending the disciplinary proceedings opened against Mr. Luis Rubiales on Thursday, August 24.”
World Champion Hermoso published her own statement on Instagram about the incident. “I want to make it clear that at no time did the conversation to which Mr. Luis Rubiales refers to in his address take place,” she wrote. “Above all, never was his kiss consensual. I want to reiterate as I did before that I did not like this incident.”