FIFA Suspends Spanish Soccer Chief Over Controversial Kiss

FIFA, Fédération Internationale de Football Association, has suspended Spanish federation chief Luis Rubiales over the controversial kiss.

Rubiales has been suspended from all football-related activities for three months on Saturday as FIFA investigates allegations he gave a player an unwanted kiss on the lips after Spain’s women won the World Cup.

“Luis Rubiales will be provisionally suspended from all football-related activities at national and international level for 90 days,” FIFA said in a statement.

“Rubiales and representatives from the Royal Spanish Football Federation were also ordered to refrain from contacting Hermoso and anyone close to her,” the statement added.

Rubiales had been informed about “the decision adopted by the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee,” it said.

Interestingly, the announcement from soccer’s governing body came hours after Spain’s soccer federation said Saturday it would take legal action to defend Rubiales from “lies.”

In a statement posted on its website, the Spanis federation said Rubiales “has stated that he will legally defend himself in the competent bodies, he fully trusts the FIFA instances and reiterates that, in this way, he is given the opportunity to begin his defense so that the truth prevails and his complete innocence is proven.”

However, the statement did not say what the legal action would consist of.

It added that Pedro Rocha Junco, the vice president of the federation, would be the interim president.

Earlier on Friday, Hermoso said in a statement that she did not consent to the kiss and felt “vulnerable and the victim of aggression.”

She added that Rubiales’ explanation about “the unfortunate event” was “categorically false and part of the manipulative culture he has created.”