FC Barcelona have issued an official statement condemning the actions of RFEF president Luis Rubiales after the latter was involved in a major controversy earlier this month.
Following the Spanish Women’s national team’s FIFA World Cup victory, Rubiales embraced and then kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the medal ceremony, sparking huge controversy.
There were calls for the Spanish FA president to resign, but in a shocking speech earlier today at the extraordinary assembly held by the RFEF, Rubiales claimed that he would not be stepping down and claimed that he was the target of ‘false feminists’.
Barcelona’s statement
Having been quiet on the matter thus far, Barcelona have now issued a statement on Rubiales’ actions and have called his actions ‘improper’ and ‘unfortunate’.
“FC Barcelona wishes to make clear that it considers improper and unfortunate the RFEF president’s behaviour during the celebrations for the World Cup victory achieved by the Spanish Women’s team,” the statement read.
“The incident we consider to be deplorable and Mr. Rubiales himself has admitted it was an error and has apologised.”
Furthermore, the club vowed to continue its support for the growth and development of women’s football, stating:
“In the light of his unjustifiable incident, FC Barcelona remains committed to its policy of supporting women’s sport, equality between men and women in sport and in society in general, and of guaranteeing the safety of women in sport and denouncing any behaviour that violates our principles and statutes.”
Support for Hermoso
Alexia Putellas with Jenni Hermoso. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
Support has been pouring in for Hermoso, who spent has had two stints at FC Barcelona as a player, once between 2013 and 2017 and the second between 2019 and 2022.
Barcelona Femeni captain Alexia Putellas has taken to social media to show support for the 33-year-old, writing on X: “This is unacceptable. It’s over. With you partner”
Men’s team captain Sergi Roberto has also come out and stood beside the Spaniard, as he wrote on X: “We are with you! We are with you!”
Other members of the Barça Femeni team such as Aitana Bonmati, Caroline Graham, Ana-Maria Crnogorčević, Cata Coll, and Mariona Caldentey have also shown their support to Hermoso.
Despite Rubiales’ announcement that he will not resign, pressure is mounting on him from all corners, with the CSD (Superior Sports Council of Spain) now ready to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for SPORT (CAS).
Meanwhile, the Spanish Women’s national team players, together with FUTPRO, will also be issuing a statement soon.