The mother of suspended Spanish soccer chief Luis Rubiales locked herself inside a church and started a hunger strike to protest against her son’s treatment over his kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the world cup victory, family members said.
“She has gone on hunger strike, she does not want to leave the church,” Vanessa Ruiz, a cousin of Rubiales, told reporters outside the parish church of Divina Pastora in the family’s hometown of Motril, southern Spain.
Rubiales’ mother Angeles Bejar was holed up inside with her sister. Ruiz described Bejar as a “woman of great faith who has sought refuge in God,” and said the family wanted Hermoso to “tell the truth” that the kiss was not forced. Rubiales, who is head of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), was suspended on Saturday by FIFA amid a furor after he kissed Hermoso on the mouth during the awards ceremony following Spain’s World Cup win in Sydney on Aug. 20. Hermoso says she did not want to be kissed. RFEF has called regional federations to an urgent meeting on Monday to evaluate the situation, which has spiralled into a national argument over women’s rights and macho behaviour.
Spain’s High Court prosecutor said on Monday afternoon it had launched a preliminary investigation into what happened and would contact Hermoso to ask if she wants to press charges.
A spokesman for the court told Reuters it had received several complaints but would only launch a full inquiry if Hermoso sought one.
Rubiales, 46, has been defiant over the kiss, arguing it was consensual. Hermoso, her teammates and the Spanish government say it was unwanted and demeaning.
At a federation meeting on Friday where he had been widely expected to step down, Rubiales instead refused to quit, seeking to defend his behaviour and calling the kiss “spontaneous, mutual, euphoric and consensual.”
RFEF has said Rubiales will defend himself legally to prove “his complete innocence.”
Spain’s Acting Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz met on Monday with representatives of the women’s players’ union FUTPRO, which represents Hermoso, and the Association of Spanish Footballers, to ensure football “has decent conditions and spaces free of sexist violence.” She told journalists afterwards that macho behaviour was “systemic” in Spain and had been shown in its worst form by the incident.
Diaz, who is also deputy prime minister in the acting socialist government pending the formation of a new government following July elections, also condemned RFEF members who applauded Rubiales’ non-resignation on Friday. Diaz called for victims of sexual harassment and violence to be better protected.
“On Friday we saw the worst of Spanish society, of the structural machismo of this country,” she said. “They clapped and humiliated and made fun of a person they had the obligation to protect under the sports law and far from doing that, they inflicted more damage, more pain, more vexation.
“In my personal opinion, the coaches who applauded Mr Rubiales are not qualified to continue in their posts.”
Rubiales’ mother Bejar told Spain’s EFE news agency her hunger strike would last “until a solution is found to the inhumane and bloody hunt they are carrying out against my son with something he does not deserve.”
Rubiales’ cousin Ruiz said his family was “suffering a lot for him, we don’t think that what’s happening is fair.”
“He has been judged ahead of time. We don’t think this is normal and we want them to leave us alone. The statements speak for themselves. There are videos, there are audios,” she said.
Hermoso has said she did not consent to the kiss and felt “vulnerable and the victim of an aggression.”
Gender issues are a prominent topic in Spain. Tens of thousands of women have taken part in street marches protesting against sexual abuse and violence, and the Socialist-led coalition government has reformed laws including around equal pay and abortion rights.
Feminist groups have called a demonstration on Monday in Madrid entitled “With You Jenni.” Hundreds of people participated in another on Sunday in Salamanca against Rubiales.
All 23 players on Spain’s cup-winning squad including Hermoso, as well as dozens of other squad members, said on Friday they would not play internationals while Rubiales remained head of the federation. Their next match is away to Sweden in the Nations League on Sept. 22.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
