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Spanish soccer federation chief Luis Rubiales resigns from his post
NEW DELHI: Spanish soccer federation chief Luis Rubiales stepped down from his post on Monday, capping the controversy that erupted after he kissed forward Jennifer Hermoso on her lips following Spain’s win in the women’s world cup.
While Hermoso described the act as “non-consensual”, 46-year-old Rubiales insisted that it was “mutual” arguing that she had lifted him off the ground at the trophy presentation. “I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-driven, sexist, out-of-place act without any consent on my part,” she said.
As protests and condemnations mounted, Rubiales offered an apology but remained defiant on the question of his resignation. Within a week, he held a press conference at the Royal Spanish Football Federation in the presence of senior officials and repeatedly shouted: “I will not resign”.
He was early suspended by world football governing body FIFA as an interim measure.
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The Spanish government, including PM Pedro Sánchez and his minister, were quick to criticize Rubiales and issued statements in solidarity with Hermoso, who has scored 52 goals for Spain.
The Spanish society and the sports fraternity also sided with Hermoso. As many as 81 Spanish footballers, including the world cup winning team, said they would not play for the country should Rubiales continue in his post. Coaches of the Spanish women’s team resigned en masse.
Months before Rubiales’ unwanted kiss rocked the world of football, a group of Indian wrestlers sat on protest at Jantar Mantar in the heart of Delhi demanding the removal of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on charges of sexual harassment.
Singh, a strongman BJP lawmaker, is accused of, among other charges, brushing his hands across a minor wrestler’s breast and stalking her, demanding sexual favours to back their careers. He also allegedly denied professional opportunities to those who rejected his alleged sexual advances.
The reaction of Rubiales and Singh wears an uncanny similarity. They both pleaded innocence and rejected calls for resignation, and tried to remain in their posts as long as they could. However, the response of the Indian and Spanish societies and the governments present a contrast picture.
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In Singh’s case, no Central minister or leader of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned him or supported women wrestlers led by decorated athletes like Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, and his male colleague Bajrang Punia.
They launched their protest in mid-January demanding an FIR against Singh. However, no one paid them heed. After a brief lull, they again gathered for an indefinite strike in April, which culminated in assault of the grapplers on May 28 – coinciding with the inauguration with India’s brand new parliament.
Even after the wrestlers’ unsuccessful bid to immerse their medals in the Ganga river, no concrete action was taken against Singh. The government later took a more subtle route by dissolving the wrestling body.
What is more troubling in the Brij Bhushan vs wrestlers saga is the deafening silence from the Indian sports fraternity. Only a few players like Neeraj Chopra and legends like Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar supported the wrestlers; that too after pictures of wrestlers being dragged, humiliated, and beaten by cops surfaced on the internet.
Except for political opposition, large sections of the Indian society remained mute spectators. There was no public condemnation by the complainants’ colleagues, managers, or staff of the WFI. Let alone any resignations of solidarity, some wrestlers decided to support Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
