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Arsenal icon Ian Wright has wasted no time voicing his displeasure over UEFA's silence on the Luis Rubiales controversy from the Women's World Cup final. This comes after FIFA slapped Rubiales, the president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), with a 90-day suspension from all football-related activities,
At the 2023 Women's World Cup final in Australia, Rubiales kissed Spanish player Jenni Hermoso amid post-match jubilations as Spain won. Rubiales insisted that the kiss was "consenual," a claim swiftly rebuffed by Hermoso, who declared she had been under "consistent pressure" to validate Rubiales' conduct (via GOAL).
Despite FIFA's decisive intervention, UEFA, whose vice president is none other than Rubiales, has yet to comment on the issue. This saw Ian Wright vent his frustrations at the governing body.
"Still silence from UEFA," Wright tweeted. "No solidarity. No comment on the behaviour of their Vice President. Same UEFA who's President did not attend the Women's World Cup Final where both teams represented the region. These are the same people in charge of leading the future of women's football. They don't give a s**t!"
The RFEF, on their part, have issued a counter-statement, expressing skepticism over Hermoso's narrative and backing Rubiales' claim of innocence. Nonetheless, FIFA's move to suspend him for 90 days and initiate disciplinary proceedings suggests that this case is far from closed.
Federation backs Luis Rubiales while Women's World Cup champion Hermoso and teammates threaten walkout
The standoff between embattled RFEF president Luis Rubiales and freshly-crowned World Cup hero Jennifer Hermoso has taken a darker turn. According to Sky Sports, the federation has backed Rubiales while promising legal action against Hermoso. This all transpired after mounting calls for Rubiales' resignation have increased.
Initially, it seemed that Rubiales was poised for a Friday exit, only to pivot dramatically by lashing out against his accusers during an impassioned address at a federation assembly. In what can only be seen as a divisive move, this sparked Hermoso and her fellow players into taking the extraordinary step of declaring they would no longer represent Spain on the pitch.
This comes merely days after Spain lifted the Women's World Cup trophy for the first time. Hermoso, the 33-year-old forward who was at the heart of Spain's triumph, underlined that "at no point" had she given her consent to Rubiales' infamous kiss.
Her affirmation stands in stark contrast to the federation's new position, which openly accuses her of being dishonest and threatens to take legal action to defend Rubiales.
