‘I will not resign’: Spanish football boss vows to ‘fight until the end’ over kiss scandal

Spanish football president Luis Rubiales has delivered a defiant message after being slammed for kissing a player.

Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales refused to resign on Friday after a week of heavy criticism for his unsolicited kiss on the lips of player Jenni Hermoso following Spain’s Women’s World Cup triumph.

“I will not resign, I will not resign, I will not resign,” shouted Rubiales at an emergency meeting of the football federation.

“A consensual ‘peck’ is enough to get me out of here? I will fight until the end,” he added.

Rubiales, 46, was expected to step down as president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF) after government ministers and figures within sport demanded his resignation and world football’s governing body FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against him.

He said the pressure he has received this week from politicians and clubs was an attempt “to publicly assassinate me” and said he would defend himself by “taking action” against those people.

Rubiales said "I will not resign". Photo: Twitter

The RFEF chief claimed his kiss on Hermoso’s lips was consensual and done in the same spirit as kissing his child.

“It was a spontaneous kiss, mutual, euphoric, and consensual,” Rubiales said.

It comes just a day after Hermoso released a joint statement with her union and agent calling for Rubiales to be sanctioned.

“My union FUTPRO, in co-ordination with my agency TMJ, are taking care of defending my interests and have taken over as my interlocutors on this matter,” the statement said.

FUTPRO continued adding: “We express our firm and resounding condemnation of behaviours that violate the dignity of women.

“From our association, we ask the Royal Spanish Football Federation to implement the necessary protocols, ensure the rights of our players and adopt exemplary measures. It is essential that our team, the current world champion, is always represented by figures who project values ​​of equality and respect in all areas.

The incident sent shockwaves through the sport.

“It is necessary to continue advancing in the fight for equality, a fight that our players have led with determination, leading us to the position in which we find ourselves today.

“We also call on the Higher Sports Council so that, within its powers, it actively supports and promotes prevention and intervention in the face of sexual harassment or abuse, machismo and sexism.

“FUTPRO rejects any attitude or conduct that violates the rights of soccer players and from the union we are working so that acts like the ones we have seen never go unpunished, are sanctioned and the pertinent measures are adopted to protect soccer players from actions that we believe are unacceptable.”

Speaking on an Instagram Live after the result, Hermoso said of the incident “I didn’t like it”.

Spanish football reporter Colin Millar also reported Hermoso said of the incident: “Eh … yeah, I did not enjoy that”.

The Spanish president did apologise for grabbing his crotch during the celebrations of the 1-0 win against England in the final while standing next to Spanish Queen Letizia.

“I want to say sorry for the deeds that happened in a moment of euphoria, I grabbed that part of my body and did so looking at Jorge Vilda (the coach),” Rubiales said.

“I was so emotional, I lost control and I took my hands there.”