FIFA said it was tempted to impose stricter sanctions against Luis Rubiales

FIFA’s disciplinary commission on Wednesday explained in its report the reasons for Luis Rubiales’ three-year ban and said it was tempted to impose harsher sanctions on the former Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president.

The panel’s decision came at the end of October and was the culmination of a disciplinary process opened against Rubiales on August 24, following the events that followed the Women’s World Cup final in Australia and New Zealand, in which Spain became champions by defeating England.

The former RFEF president touched his genitals in the stadium stands at the end of the game and later kissed player Jennifer Hermoso on the lips during the medal ceremony.

Rubiales was initially suspended for 90 days, and on October 30 he received notice of the Disciplinary Commission’s decision to impose a three-year sanction on him for all activities related to national and international football.

The commission says that “an attempt has been made to impose stricter sanctions given the seriousness of the incidents in question, as well as the profound negative impact they have caused.”

Referring to the non-consensual kiss with Jennifer Hermoso after the World Cup final, FIFA emphasizes that “the accused did not apologize to the player either publicly or privately” and that he “insisted in his denial (publicly and within the limits of his authority). this procedure), claiming (contrary to the player’s explicit statement) that the kiss was consensual.”

According to the commission, Rubiales “publicly insulted everyone who saw the incident differently” by saying it was “a kiss between two friends who were celebrating something” and calling them “idiots and fools.”

It also highlights that “the accused used her position as President of the RFEF in an aggressive and completely inappropriate manner to publish – on behalf of the RFEF – statements quoting the player that were not written or authorized by her, and released, through an official statement, a statement (which was later deleted) threatening the player (among others) with legal action.”

In addition, the Commission emphasizes that Rubiales used the RFEF General Assembly “as a forum to defend himself and distort the reality of the kiss in his favor” and that “he could not ignore the mental health impact of the actions of the accused.” and playing career,” with the latter emphasizing that she still feels “truly humiliated by everything that happened and the media coverage and public scrutiny that she and her family were subjected to.”

The Commission recalls that Hermoso “has been in contact with the psychologists of the Pachuca Club, as well as with a psychologist whom he trusts.”

“In conclusion, FIFA states that it is firmly convinced that the defendant has brought football and/or FIFA into disrepute at a global level through his conduct and that the sanctions imposed on him therefore reflect all the aggravating circumstances mentioned above.”