Kiss and Kill: Rubiales to resign as president over Hermoso buss

Luis Rubiales will resign from his role as the President of the Spanish Football Federations (RFEF) after disciplinary proceedings were opened against him by World’s football governing body, FIFA – over his unsolicited kiss of Spanish superstar, Jenni Hermoso.

Rubiales, 46, was elected as president in 2018, and his tenure has been fraught with controversy and big decisions.

There have been complaints, from his uncle and the former director of his cabinet, that he used RFEF money to organise sex parties, while an investigation is also ongoing into allegations that he used federation cash to take a woman on a trip to New York.

Meanwhile, the embattled Rubiales came under intense scrutiny following his behaviour after Spain won the World Cup by beating England in the final in Sydney on Sunday.

The kiss forced on the lips of Hermoso has garnered most of the headlines, but he was also seen effusively hugging other Spain players and kissing them on the cheek.

Before that, immediately after Spain’s victory, he had also grabbed his crotch in a victory gesture with 16-year-old Princess Infanta Sofía and Queen Letizia of Spain standing nearby.

Amidst his obscene behaviors in the eyes of the global audience, he had an immediate response for those who censured his behaviour as “idiots,” although as the backlash grew, he later published an apology.

The incident sparked outrage within and outside Spain, with many, including government ministers, demanding his resignation.

His apology was tagged “insufficient and inadequate” by the Spanish acting prime minister, Pedro Sanchez as the pressure began to mount on Rubiales to step down from his role. Meanwhile, the acting second deputy prime minister, Yolanda Diaz, called for Rubiales to “resign” from his post after his actions.

Also, high-ranking figures across the government and Spanish sport expressed similar opinions. Irene Montero, the minister for equality, described it as a “form of sexual violence,” with clubs also weighing in on the situation.

A source on Thursday that the regional leaders of the RFEF held a crisis meeting in Madrid with Rubiales’ future on the front burner and options for a potential successor.

The favourites to succeed Rubiales are Pedro Rocha, head of the Extremadura football federation, and Pablo Lozano, head of the Andalusia federation, the source said.