Even after the resignation of association head Luis Rubiales, the attack after the World Cup title continues to have consequences. The national players are also calling for his successor to resign. But he should stay.
The Spanish football association RFEF is sticking with its interim president Pedro Rocha after Rubiales’ resignation and has thus rejected one of the demands of the top Spanish players.
“Pedro Rocha will lead the transition process in the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) until the next elections,” the association said. The new election is planned for early next year. The planned introduction of the new coach of the women’s national team, Montse Tomé, has been postponed to an indefinite date.
The 23 Spanish footballers who won the World Cup in August and other top players do not want to play for Spain until there are no further personnel changes in the Spanish football association RFEF following the attack after the World Cup final.
This initially affects Spain’s games in the Nations League next Thursday (September 21, 2023) against Sweden and five days later against Switzerland. “As we told the association today, the changes introduced are not enough to give players the feeling of being in a safe place where women are respected, women’s football is supported and we can perform to our maximum potential,” says an open letter from the players.
This puts Olympic participation at risk
In doing so, they run the risk of seriously jeopardizing their participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics. The two European starting places will ultimately be played out via the Nations League. Will a C team be enough to win the group? More than questionable. Sweden (semi-finals) and Switzerland (round of 16) are looking for revenge after their elimination against the Spanish at the World Cup.
Players demand further consequences
The players are of the opinion that the resignation of RFEF President Luis Rubiales, who kissed world champion Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth without being asked at the award ceremony, and the separation from coach Jorge Vilda were insufficient. Among other things, they called for the dismissal of the association’s general secretary, Andreu Camps, as well as the press department employees who, shortly after the awards ceremony in Sydney, distributed a statement from the association in which words were put into Hermoso’s mouth that she had not said the newspaper “Mundo Deportivo” wrote.
