In a dire twist of events, the mother of Spain’s football leader has taken refuge within a church in the southern reaches of Spain, embarking on a hunger strike. This follows the initiation of a probe by prosecutors into his actions. Approximately one week subsequent to Luis Rubiales, the head of the Spanish Lad Football Federation, sharing a kiss with Spain’s Jenni Hermoso at the Women’s World Cup awards event, his reputation lies in ruins, and his future prospects remain uncertain.
Mother of Rubiales
In a desperate endeavour to shield her son, Ángeles Béjar, the mother of Rubiales, has barricaded herself within the Divina Pastora church located in Motril, southern Spain, making a declaration of hunger strike. She has declared her intention to persist until a resolution is reached by the authorities regarding the ‘inhuman and unjust pursuit they are conducting against my son, for something he is undeserving of’.
This development coincided with the day on which the Spanish Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an ‘investigation’ in response to grievances against Luis Rubiales. This step has granted Hermoso the opportunity to potentially lodge a complaint against him for alleged sexual assault. Grounded on Hermoso’s account, the prosecutor is unequivocal in the assessment that Rubiales’ kiss was ‘non-consensual’.
Certain presidents of regional football associations are reportedly contemplating a vote of no confidence in Rubiales, as reported by Spanish media outlets.
Indefinite hunger strike
Rubiales’ mother, speaking to the Spanish news agency EFE, affirmed her determination to remain in the church premises ’round the clock’, committing to her hunger strike ‘indefinitely’, until justice prevails for her son. Following the departure of the priest, she remained within the parish church along with her sister.
Luis Rubiales’ mother has urged Jenni Hermoso to ‘speak the truth’ and ‘uphold the account she initially provided of the incident’.
The president of the Spanish FA, whose tenure had been marked by achievements overshadowed by controversy, saw his career in ruins following his conduct during the final match in Sydney, Australia, where he also made an offensive gesture by grabbing his groin.
“Rubiales should not oversee Spanish football anew,” commented Spanish minister María Jesús Montero on Sunday, a day after FIFA temporarily suspended him for a duration of 90 days.
“We have had our fill of him, tarnishing the significant victory of women’s football with his unacceptable demeanor.”
In response to his refusal to step down, FIFA took action against Rubiales, who asserted himself as a target of a ‘witch-hunt’ by ‘pseudo-feminists’. In a day that will be remembered as one of the ugliest in the annals of Spanish football, Rubiales claimed that striker Jenni Hermoso had mutually consented to the kiss.
Hermoso refuted this in a pair of statements, asserting its falsity and portraying herself as a victim of a power abuse. She further accused the federation of attempting to coerce her into supporting Rubiales.
The federation retaliated by accusing her of lying and vowing to take legal measures against her. As part of the decision to suspend Rubiales, FIFA’s disciplinary judge, Jorge Palacio, mandated that Rubiales and the association refrain from communicating with Hermoso.