A motion of no confidence by the members of the RFEF General Assembly would be the most logical way to end the reign of Luis Rubiales after the five scandals chained by the head of football: the forced kiss to Jenni Hermoso, visibly touching his genitals in the box next to the Queen and the authorities, insulting those who questioned his unfortunate conduct, apologizing late, in a confused manner and without conviction, and pressuring the player to participate in the video that was to exonerate him after what happened.
But it is not foreseeable that the Assembly will put him on the street because it is controlled by the president. Rubiales clings to the position, which entails a salary of 675,7612.87 euros per year, plus another 3,000 euros of help to pay the mortgage on his house.
Many of the 83 members of the body who approved that salary (and who attended the meeting that formalized it on May 30, 2022) are the ones who will stage their support for their president in a pantomime that will despise the events that have gone around the world, the massive requests for resignation by the acting president and vice-president of the Government, Minister Iceta, leaders of the PSOE, the PP and other parties, and the complaints filed.
On the other hand, authoritative voices such as Ángel Torres, president of Getafe, join the demands for Rubiales to assume his responsibility: “He cannot continue for one more minute as president of the Federation,” declared the manager, who will attend the Extraordinary Assembly called for next Friday. The body has already confirmed that it has opened the internal proceedings regarding integrity issues, as well as the rest of the applicable protocols.
“The Protection Advisory Committee, within the framework of its powers, and in accordance with the principle of proportionality, will adopt the measures it deems appropriate in the face of any behavior that puts the health and well-being of athletes at risk,” says the document.
The same protocol for action against sexual violence can be activated “by any person who is a victim of sexual violence, or any person who is aware of this situation.”
Therefore, the way to disqualify Rubiales, if his accomplices do not remove him, is for the CSD to transfer the complaint to the Administrative Court of Sport (TAD), a collegiate body attached to said body but which acts independently. The TAD has powers to open an investigation file that could end the mandate or at least the suspension of Rubiales after an unprecedented scandal that is still the main topic today in media such as The New York Times, which adds seriousness to the facts, since the Spain Brand and the image that all this scandal is tarnishing are incompatible with the continuity of a person in charge with conduct like that of the current president of the RFEF.
“Pull with the arm with the intent to kiss them” and “forcibly kiss”
But, basically, Rubiales will have to leave because he has broken the law. The protocols against sexual violence in sports federations were introduced in a mandatory manner in compliance with the new Sports Law, approved on June 27, as can be seen on the official website of the RFEF itself.
That protocol specifies it and is perfectly clear in this regard, describing as sexual violence “attracting with the arm with the intent to kiss them” and “kissing by force”, and determines that “they will lead to immediate consequences”. This Protocol of action against sexual violence approved by the Higher Sports Council includes this specific action in its point 5. This section is alluded to in the complaints of the organizations that have denounced Rubiales, such as the Association of Professional Soccer Players (AFE). .
Only if the victim of the allegedly forced kiss stated that it occurred with her consent (contrary to what we all saw), Rubiales would have a chance. But Jenni Hermoso initially said that she did not like the kiss, although she supposedly defended Rubiales and downplayed the matter, assuring that “it was a totally spontaneous mutual gesture because of the immense joy that winning a World Cup gives.” The problem is that these words, according to some media, were never actually spoken by the player who, by the way, refused to participate in a video with Rubiales to exonerate him, despite the pressure received.