MADRID, Spain
Luis Rubiales has resigned as president of the Spanish Football Federation following criticism for kissing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso at the Women's World Cup final presentation ceremony.
Hermoso, 33, said the kiss
after Spain beat England was not consensual and she filed a legal complaint last
Tuesday.
Rubiales said he had submitted
his resignation to federation acting president Pedro Rocha in a statement.
"I cannot continue my
work," he told Piers Morgan on his television show.
The 46-year-old has also
resigned from his position as vice-president of Uefa's executive committee.
The fallout from the kiss has
engulfed Spanish football in recent weeks and overshadowed Spain's World Cup
win, with Rubiales ignoring repeated calls to resign.
On Friday, a prosecutor filed a complaint with Spain's high court - following Hermoso's testimony on Tuesday - against Rubiales for sexual assault and coercion.
Rubiales claimed the kiss was
"mutual and "consensual" but had been provisionally suspended by
football's world governing body Fifa.
"After the quick
suspension carried out by Fifa, plus the rest of open proceedings against me,
it is evident that I will not be able to return to my position," Rubiales'
statement read.
"Insisting on waiting and
holding on is not going to contribute to anything positive, neither to the
federation nor to Spanish football."
Rubiales said he hoped his
departure would boost Spain's joint bid with Morocco and Portugal to host the
2030 World Cup.
He added: "I have faith
in the truth and I will do everything in my power to prevail.
"My daughters, my family
and the people who love me have suffered the effects of excessive persecution,
as well as many falsehoods, but it is also true that on the street, more and
more every day, the truth is prevailing."
Some 81 Spain players,
including all 23 World Cup winners, said they would not play for the national
team again while Rubiales was in his position.
World Cup-winning manager
Jorge Vilda - considered a close ally of Rubiales - was sacked on
5 September amid the scandal, with Montse Tome named as his successor.
Politicians, footballers and
celebrities have spoken out against Rubiales, while protesters gathered at the
federation's headquarters last month to demand his
resignation.
Spain's acting Labour
minister, Yolanda Diaz, posted
on X (formerly Twitter): "The feminist country is advancing
faster and faster.
"The transformation and
improvement of our lives is inevitable. We are with you, Jenni, and with all
women."
Irene Montero, Spain's
equality minister, added: "It's
over."
Asked by Morgan whether
something in particular finally led him to resign, Rubiales said he spoke to
his family and listened to the advice of friends.
"My father, my daughters,
I spoke with them - they know it's not a question about me - and some friends
very close to me said to me 'Luis, you need to focus on your dignity and to
continue your life because if not, you are going to damage people you love and
the sport you love'," Rubiales said.
"This was a question of
not only me. An attitude towards me can affect third parties [that are] very
important. It was the intelligent thing that I had to do."
On Sunday, Hermoso received a
warm welcome from supporters and team-mates of her domestic club, Pachuca,
before their 2-1 win against Pumas in the Liga MX women's league in Mexico.
The 33-year-old unveiled a
mural on the walls of the Hidalgo Stadium celebrating her achievements with
Spain in the Women's World Cup, and was also given a framed jersey with her
number 10 on it.
Hermoso's complaint was one of
sexual assault but Marta Durantez Gil has also added an allegation of coercion
when filing to the high court after the forward told the prosecutor her
relatives had been pressured by Rubiales and his "professional entourage"
to say she "justified and approved what happened".
It is now up to the court to
present formal charges against Rubiales.
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