Spain's national football federation has threatened to take legal action against player Jennifer Hermoso.The statement, published late on Friday, comes after the head of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, kissed Hermoso on the lipsfollowing the Spanish national team'sWorld Cup final win against England, which the player says was not consensual.
RFEF also insisted that players had the "obligation" to continue participating in the team. Dozens of players have said they will not represent Spain until Rubiales is removed from his position.Rubiales has refused to step down.
Football federation denounces 'lies'
RFEF said that Rubiales had been met with "conflict and derision" from large segments of society over the incident.
It said that it had attempted to contact Hermoso but was unsuccessful in receiving a response.
"In a state governed by the rule of law, as [Rubiales] has argued, opinions are countered with facts and evidence and lies are refuted in court," it said. It did not specify what the legal action would consist of.
It said that the federation would prove that claims that had been "spread either in [Hermoso's] name [...] or by the player herself" were "lies."
In its statement, the federation published three photos and claimed they showed that Hermoso had lifted Rubiales up during a hug, meaning that the federation boss "could not exert any force."
However, the photos were seemingly taken before Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips.
Earlier, Hermoso said: "I want to make clear that, as was seen in the images, I did not at any point consent to the kiss he gave me and of course I definitely did not try to lift up [Rubiales]."
The player also said that she felt "vulnerable and like the victim of an assault."
RFEF had claimed that Hermoso said that the kiss was a "mutual gesture" between her and Rubiales, which the player later said was falsely attributed to her.
"I won't tolerate anyone putting in doubt my word and even more so that anyone invents words that I did not say," she said.
Spanish sports council demands Rubiales' suspension
Spain's National Sports Council (CSD) submitted a request for the country's administrative court for sports (TAD) to suspend Rubiales over "unacceptable behavior."
The council said that it considered that Rubiales had abused his authority and had committed public acts that had infringed on dignity or decorum in sports.
"Both infringements are considered 'very serious,' which allows for the adoption of a measure of provisional suspension of Luis Rubiales as the president of the [RFEF]," it said in its petition.
Rubiales on Friday refused to resign following broad condemnation of his conduct. FIFA has also launched its own proceedings against the Spanish football boss.
"Mr Rubiales has not lived up to what was expected of him," CSD president Victor Francos said. "His reaction has disappointed us."
Player's union calls for action, FIFA launches probe
On Wednesday, the Spanish player's union, FUTPRO, issued a joint statement calling for action to be taken against Rubiales.
On Thursday, football's governing body announced its disciplinary committee had opened proceedings against the RFEF chief.
FIFA said that Rubiales' conduct had violated multiple articles of the organization's disciplinary code.
Meanwhile, the head of Germany's FC Bayern Munich Karl-Heinz Rummenigge defended Rubiales' behavior, saying it was "absolutely OK," comments for which he drew widespread condemnation.
"When you become a world champion, you get emotional. And what he did there is, with all due respect, absolutely OK," he said, adding that he had "kissed men" when the team won the 2020 World Cup. (Reuters, dpa, EFE)