Luis Rubiales continues to cling to his place as essentially the most highly effective man in Spanish football. The inner construction of a “feudal dictatorship” and the strain exerted on Jenni Hermoso have made this attainable.
Ever since Luis Rubiales kissed Spain’s Jenni Hermoso on the lips with out her consent after the Ladies’s World Cup last in Australia, every thing round him has been falling aside.
ADVERTISEMENTBut essentially the most highly effective determine in Spanish football continues to cling to his place, tarnishing the success of the ladies’s workforce and threatening to perpetuate sexist acts within the ladies’s recreation.
After a rare normal assembly of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), at which Rubiales was anticipated to resign, the president ended up claiming that he was the sufferer of a witch-hunt.
“I cannot resign,” he repeated up to 5 instances to the applause of the viewers.
He spoke of “social assassination” and his mom went on starvation strike till Jenni Hermoso “tells the reality”. All this whereas the world of girls’s football accuses the Spanish federation of “profound misogyny”.
Because the world follows the occasions unfolding in Spain like a telenovela, the large query is why Rubiales hasn’t resigned but.
Why is it so troublesome to kick Rubiales out?
“He won’t resign, it could be an enormous shock if he did. He is going to defend his job to the dying,” Rafa FernĆ”ndez, a sports activities journalist at Spanish broadcaster Onda Cero, informed Euronews.
Whereas awaiting Rubiales’ resignation, many are questioning why the Spanish federation didn’t take a stronger stance.
As a non-public organisation with no public funding, the RFEF could make unbiased selections, although it represents Spain in football competitions.
Its inside construction makes democratic decision-making troublesome. It is ruled by a 140-member meeting, which is weighted in the direction of the 19 regional presidents.Ā Of the 140 members, solely six are ladies.
A lot of the regional presidents applauded enthusiastically on the federation’s extraordinary assembly when Rubiales introduced that he wouldn’t resign.
Days later, they issued an announcement unanimously calling for his resignation, however they haven’t activated the no-confidence vote that might take away him from workplace.
ADVERTISEMENT“They struggle to keep away from it in any respect prices, it is a feudal dictatorship the place some huge cash strikes. They work like a closed household by which they need to preserve the interior construction,” says FernĆ”ndez.
“The massive gamers who need to stop this method from altering are themselves, who’ve discovered a way of life that pays,” he provides.
Amongst them is Rubiales, who earns ā¬371,000 a yr (internet) as RFEF president, plus ā¬250,000 from UEFA. The federation additionally pays him a ā¬3,000 monthly housing allowance.
Who has the facility to sack Rubiales?
Following FIFA’s determination to droop Spain’s football chief for 3 months, the Spanish federation held an emergency assembly.
“If it hadn’t been for that, Rubiales would stay president, however this determination has blown him out of the water,” stated FernĆ”ndez.
ADVERTISEMENTFrom then on, there was discuss of a attainable no-confidence vote, the one approach to oust him internally.
In accordance to the Onda Cero journalist, the no-confidence vote wants the assist of a 3rd of the meeting to be tabled and two-thirds, or 94 votes, to cross.Ā
“The issue is that it requires consensus and in the mean time there is lots of inside disagreement. For this to occur, they want time and a candidate who can construct consensus,” says FernĆ”ndez.
One choice could possibly be Pedro Rocha, the interim president since Rubiales’ suspension, though he is a part of the hard core of Rubiales supporters who nonetheless management the federation.
“The 19 territorial presidents are those accountable for planning the brand new roadmap. How can it be that within the largest disaster dealing with the federation, they’re the one ones to resolve? As a result of they’re those who want this method to survive,” he provides.
ADVERTISEMENTIf the interior route appears unlikely, there is an exterior one.
Spainās Increased Council for Sports activities (CSD) has referred the criticism towards Rubiales to the Sports activities Administrative Courtroom (TAD), which has sanctioning powers. Whereas the case is being resolved, the CSD can droop Rubiales from his duties.
The Sports activities court docket has requested for extra paperwork and extra time to decide. An announcement may come this Thursday afternoon.
If this doesn’t work, the one choice left is the prison route, with the lively case within the Public Prosecutor’s Workplace, which all is determined by what Jenni Hermoso decides to do subsequent.
What concerning the attainable sexual aggression allegations?
Prosecutors on the Spanish Nationwide Courtroom have opened an investigation towards Rubiales to see if there is sufficient proof to cost him with sexual assault.
The workplace has the facility to examine crimes dedicated overseas, however Jenni Hermoso wants to file a proper criticism inside 15 days for the case to transfer ahead.
“I feel the criticism will fall by way of the cracks. They’re placing lots of strain on Hermoso and I doubt she is ready for such a combat,” says Fernandez.
The offence carries a jail sentence of between one and 4 years, however this is solely an preliminary investigation by the prosecutor’s workplace to decide whether or not there is ample proof to file fees.
Sexual abuse – the French football connection
“Come to my place for dinner tonight.” “I favor blondes, so if you happen to’re up for it…” “You are fairly fleshy, I’d positively allow you to into my mattress.”
Simply six months in the past, Noƫl Le Graƫt, the strongman of French football and president of the French Football Federation, discovered himself on the ropes after a devastating audit revealed his centralised train of energy and inappropriate behaviour in the direction of ladies.
All of it started when So Foot journal printed extracts of sexual messages allegedly despatched by Le Graƫt to feminine workers.
The French Ministry of Sport commissioned an investigation by the Common Inspectorate, which took 5 months to full. The Paris prosecutor’s workplace additionally grew to become concerned, opening a preliminary investigation into ethical and sexual harassment.
A lot has been written about one of the vital sordid episodes in French football.
Journalist Romain Molina’s report, based mostly on interviews and pictures, confirmed that Le GraĆ«t was solely the start of the French federation’s abuses.
He uncovered a number of circumstances of sexual abuse, blackmail and harassment, together with of underage gamers, involving coaches, scouts, brokers and senior officers working within the French high flight.
The previous president of the French federation lastly resigned in February final yr after clinging on to his publish for so long as he may.
