Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has described the apology by the head of the football association Luis Rubiales after the “kiss gate” for the Spanish world champions as “not enough”. “He needs to apologize much more clearly and convincingly,” Sanchez said at a media event on Tuesday. “He needs to take more steps to clear up behavior that is unacceptable.”
Rubiales hugged Spaniard Jennifer Hermoso at the award ceremony after the World Cup final against England (1-0) in Sydney, kissed her twice on the cheek before grabbing her head with both hands and kissing her on the mouth. The 45-year-old’s action was sharply criticized in and outside of Spain. The resignation of Rubiales was also demanded.
Hermoso initially said she “didn’t like it,” but later downplayed the incident in a statement from the association. Rubiales himself initially spoke of his critics as “idiots”, before he noted in a video statement on Monday that he had acted incorrectly. “It was without malice at a time of maximum exuberance,” he said in it.
Prime Minister Sanchez – who honored the world champions in Madrid on Tuesday – explained that the football federation is not part of the Spanish government. This does not have the power to depose Rubiales.
