SPANISH football federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales has resigned from his post in the aftermath of his kissing women’s national team player Jennifer Hermoso on the lips without her consent.
Rubiales kissed Hermoso during the medal presentation ceremony moments after Spain won their first Women’s World Cup title in Sydney, Australia on August 20, and the scandal that followed has overshadowed the historic triumph.
Rubiales announced his resignation tonight in a message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“After my swift suspension by FIFA, and the rest of the cases building against me, it is clear that I cannot return to the post,” Rubiales said in his statement.
The 46-year-old former footballer also said tonight to television host Pies Morgan in clips from a show to be aired next week: “I am going to (resign), I cannot continue my work.”
Rubiales said he also resigned as UEFA vice-president.
Spanish state prosecutors accused Rubiales of sexual assault and coercion after the kiss, which Hermoso insisted was non-consensual, and the player has formally accused him of sexual assault.
Rubiales has already been suspended from his job by FIFA for his conduct at the final and, after the world football body opened a disciplinary case.
He said that he had told interim Spanish federation president Pedro Rocha — who replaced him when Rubiales was suspended on August 26 — of his resignation tonight.
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