LAUSANNE: FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Luis Rubiales on Thursday after the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president kissed Spain star Jenni Hermoso following the Women鈥檚 World Cup final last weekend.
鈥淭he FIFA disciplinary committee informed Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish Football Association, today that it is opening disciplinary proceedings against him based on the events that occurred during the final,鈥� world football鈥檚 governing body said in a statement.
FIFA said the incident 鈥渕ay constitute violations of article 13 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the FIFA disciplinary code.鈥�
Spain star Hermoso released a joint statement with union Futpro on Wednesday, which called for action to be taken against the RFEF president.
鈥淲e are working to ensure that acts such as those we have seen never go unpunished, that they are sanctioned and that the exemplary measures are adopted to protect women footballers from actions that we believe are unacceptable,鈥� the statement said.
Human rights organization Amnesty International offered their backing to Hermoso on Thursday.
鈥淎mnesty International wants to show their support for the demands of the player, who has asked the (RFEF) to set underway 鈥榚xemplary measures鈥� regarding the non-consensual kiss,鈥� said the organization in a statement.
鈥�(We) underline that this behavior is a form of sexual violence like any other, and cannot be justified in any way.鈥�
Spain鈥檚 women鈥檚 football league, Liga F, has also called for Rubiales to be sacked.
The RFEF have opened an investigation into Rubiales鈥� conduct and are holding an emergency meeting on Friday.
Rubiales, 46, initially attacked his critics before eventually apologizing but the criticism of his behavior has not abated.
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez previously said that Rubiales鈥� apology for the kiss was 鈥渘ot enough.鈥�
Earlier Thursday Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti criticized Rubiales for his conduct.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very delicate topic, like most people it was behavior that I obviously did not like,鈥� Ancelotti told a news conference.
鈥淚t was not the behavior of a president of the federation.鈥�
The Italian coach would not be further drawn on the issue.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if he should resign or not, I think he will take the most adequate decision,鈥� added Ancelotti.
Real Madrid play Celta Vigo in La Liga on Friday and the Galicians鈥� manager Rafa Benitez also spoke about Rubiales.
鈥淭he success of the national team is the news and unfortunately it鈥檚 been relegated to the background,鈥� said Benitez.
鈥淲e all agree we have seen behavior which was not correct and the competent authorities are there to take decisions.鈥�
Further Spanish clubs joined the wave of dissent against Rubiales on Thursday, following Getafe president Angel Torres the day before.
鈥淲e must all be consistent with what we do and say, that鈥檚 a fundamental thing,鈥� Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo told TV show Jugones on Spanish channel Mega.
鈥淗e will have to do what he considers appropriate, but I think that what he has to do is present his resignation.鈥�
Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay also positioned himself against Rubiales.
鈥淭his should have been over days ago, it鈥檚 a shame that we are here and this has not been concluded,鈥� he told Radio Euskadi.
鈥淲hat I felt when I saw (his behavior at the final) all at once was that he had to resign, that it couldn鈥檛 be.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I felt, that he was mistaken. It鈥檚 a serious, profound error.鈥�
Meanwhile the Basque football federation said they will not attend the RFEF meeting on Friday because of the 鈥渟eriousness鈥� of the events which took place at the Women鈥檚 World Cup final.
American forward Megan Rapinoe, the world鈥檚 highest-profile women鈥檚 player, was similarly scathing in an interview with The Atlantic earlier this week.
鈥淲hat kind of upside-down world are we in? On the biggest stage, where you should be celebrating, Jenni has to be physically assaulted by this guy,鈥� said Rapinoe.
She referred to Rubiales鈥� behavior at the final as portraying 鈥渁 deep level of misogyny and sexism.鈥�