According to media reports, the mother of the 46-year-old went on a hunger strike in the kiss scandal surrounding the now suspended Spanish football association president Luis Rubiales. The woman locked herself in a church in the Andalusian city of Motril in the south of the country on Monday in protest at what she saw as an “inhuman and bloody hunt” for her son, state television broadcaster RTVE and other local media reported.
Accordingly, she wanted to continue the strike “day and night” until “justice was done”. The mother says her son is a good person who has never harassed anyone, Spanish media reported.
World governing body FIFA has suspended Rubiales for 90 days and initiated disciplinary proceedings. The head of the Spanish national association RFEF kissed the player Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth at the award ceremony after winning the World Cup final in Sydney on August 20 – and thus triggered criticism and outrage at home and abroad.
RTVE’s cameras showed numerous journalists, photographers, cameramen and onlookers gathering in front of the Church of Divina Pastora on Monday afternoon. According to the priest, Rubiales’ mother is accompanied by her sister. She is very nervous and crying.
A cousin of Rubiales told journalists outside the church: “We are all suffering greatly. He was prejudiced.” Relatives and friends of the 46-year-old are firmly convinced that the kiss was mutually agreed. Hermoso had vehemently denied this version.
Prosecutor becomes active
Meanwhile, the prosecutor’s office of the National Court of Justice in Spain opened a preliminary investigation into alleged sexual assault against Luis Rubiales on Monday. This emerges from a statement sent to the AFP news agency.
In the letter, the public prosecutor’s office also addressed national player Jennifer Hermoso, who was suddenly kissed on the mouth by Rubiales, president of the Spanish football association RFEF, at the award ceremony after the World Cup final against England (1-0). She should report “within 15 days” to “be informed about her rights as a victim of an alleged sexual assault” and, if necessary, “to file a complaint,” the authority wrote.
Hans-Günter Kellner, Madrid Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 32 Published/Updated: Recommendations: 21 Published/Updated: Recommendations: 77
“Considering Jennifer Hermoso’s public statements, the sexual act she was subjected to by Rubiales was non-consensual. Given the clarity of their statements, it is necessary to determine their legal meaning,” the prosecutor said.
Rubiales had already been temporarily banned for 90 days by the world governing body FIFA at the weekend, and he was also banned from contact with Hermoso. He refused to voluntarily resign as head of the association, instead giving a polemical defense speech at an extraordinary RFEF meeting on Friday.
