MADRID, 24 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The acting Minister of Culture and Sport, Miquel Iceta, assured this Thursday that he expects “a clear and unequivocal gesture of rejection of Luis Rubiales”, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), at the Extraordinary General Assembly of the entity , which will be held this Friday, in the face of “unacceptable” events.
“We expect a clear and unequivocal gesture of rejection of Rubiales, after an unacceptable performance by the president of the Federation. It is the great opportunity for Spanish football to show that it not only respects the rights of women, but that it is going to defend them in all its performances”, indicated Iceta in an interview with La SER collected by Europa Press.
The head of the Culture and Sport portfolio recalled that “each one has to take their own responsibilities”, so Rubiales “can make” a decision “by himself”, or the RFEF itself “according to its procedures and protocols “. “In any case, the Higher Sports Council (CSD) is going to make its own decisions as of Monday,” he warned about the complaints that will be raised to the Administrative Court of Sport (TAD).
“But we hope that the RFEF managers themselves are the ones who can give a clear and unequivocal gesture of respect for equality, women’s rights and also the example that we must all set in competitions of the category of a championship of the Spanish society, women, many girls who want to get closer to sport and who want to do it knowing that they are going to enjoy full rights and full equality are watching us,” she reiterated.
In the event that the resignation does not take place, the TAD will be the figure that studies the file and proposes the sanctions “that it deems appropriate”, from the administrative and governmental point of view. “We would like the RFEF to take action on the matter beforehand and give that unequivocal sign of support for women’s sports,” Iceta repeated, appealing to the RFEF Assembly as a turning point.
And it is that the minister warned that the “first responsibility corresponds to the RFEF”, although he insisted that the Government “does not want in any case to make decisions that do not correspond to them or condition the decisions that others have to make”.
“The Government does not cease or appoint those responsible for the federations, and that should be known. But it is true that we have a Sports Law and we have an organization, which is the TAD, which is the one that understands conflicts of this type. For Therefore, what the government wants to be is very respectful of the procedures, but at the same time give full guarantee that unacceptable behaviors like the ones we saw will not be repeated,” he said bluntly.
For Iceta, these “unacceptable” acts by Rubiales, referring to the kiss on the lips of the player Jenni Hermoso during the women’s World Cup medal ceremony, “completely” must have consequences. “Neither the explanations nor the request for excuses seem sufficient to us and, therefore, firmer steps must be taken, which is none other than to reassure Spanish society, so that it knows that attitudes that put those rights and the dignity of athletes are at risk,” he said.
In addition, Iceta showed his “total” respect for the position of the soccer player – who called for “exemplary measures” against Rubiales in a joint statement from the FUTPRO union and his representation agency-. “The responsibility for women’s rights and equality to be respected does not lie with a specific player who has suffered an unacceptable performance,” defended the minister.
“I hope that Spanish football as a whole takes advantage of this Friday’s Assembly to speak clearly and forcefully. The truth is that I also understand that respect for procedures, instruments, and organizations must prevail. But football Spanish has to speak on Friday and the Government has to speak, of course, from its responsibility”, concluded Iceta.