The Luis Rubiales Scandal: Non-Consensual Kiss and RFEF Fallout

The Luis Rubiales Case: Context and Controversy

Good morning, everyone.

We are… (insert names), and today, we will present the Luis Rubiales case. This case became highly relevant because he was the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) at the time it occurred, along with many other circumstances that will be discussed later.

We have chosen this case because of the relevance it had and still has in Spanish society. Before starting, we must point out that this case still has not been resolved by the Spanish justice system.

Pre-Tournament Controversy

The whole situation was complicated because, even before the incident took place, another controversial situation had been ongoing before the competition even started. Key issues included:

• Salary Disputes: Some players were on strike to pressure the organization, arguing that their salaries should be equal to those of the men's national team.
• Coaching Issues: They also had problems with their coach and wanted a change because they did not consider him good enough.

This led many players to refuse call-ups for the World Cup. Finally, some players, such as Jenni Hermoso and Alexia Putellas, decided to participate in the competition, convinced they could win the World Cup and then work on solving the salary disputes.

Background of the Non-Consensual Kiss Incident

Football is the most relevant sport in Spain and Europe. What could possibly happen that could take the attention away from the World Cup final? Well, this happened: (insert video).

During the final of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the Spanish team won their first-ever title by defeating England. However, a controversial moment occurred during the celebration.

Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish Football Federation, kissed Spanish player Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the medal ceremony, as you saw in the video. At first, the player seemed okay with the kiss. There are videos of her and her teammates laughing about it on the team bus. However, things quickly changed.

Many people saw it as inappropriate and unprofessional behavior, especially in such a public and important event. Eventually, the football player addressed the situation on her social media and admitted that the kiss was, in fact, non-consensual.

The controversy surrounding Luis Rubiales and the non-consensual kiss with Jenni Hermoso gained significant relevance on social media, amplifying its impact globally.