The Spanish government stepped up pressure this Saturday on Luis Rubiales, who has been ousted as President of the Football Federation (RFEF), with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez publicly backing the world champions’ decision not to return to the national team until the coach resigns after his controversial behavior in the World Cup final. “Our players have won twice: once on the pitch and once on the pitch and taught the world a lesson in equality between men and women,” the prime minister said.
Sanchez’s statement came a day after Culture and Sports Minister Mikel Iceta petitioned the Administrative Court for Sport (TAD) to remove Rubiales. This is because the supervisor was not allowed to do so after TAD classified Rubiales’ behavior as “serious”.
The TAD decision complicates the Spanish government’s intention to oust Rubiales later this month, minimizing the fallout from the controversy ahead of the official nomination in the last quarter of the year of a joint candidacy with Portugal and Morocco for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.