Spanish soccer chief in emergency meeting amid his resignation reports after kissing incident

livemint.com:

The Associated Press. Rubiales, 46, is expected to stand before representatives of Spain’s regional federations, clubs, players, coaches, and referees in Madrid at noon local time. Local media reports stated that he is expected to step down.

Currently, the Spanish soccer federation chief is under pressure to leave his post since he grabbed player Jenni Hermoso and kissed her on the lips without her consent during the awards ceremony following Spain’s 1-0 victory over England on Sunday in Sydney, Australia. Rubiales has also issued an apology following an incident that triggered outrage, leading to calls for his resignation, including from Spain's second deputy prime minister. "Surely I was wrong, I have to admit," Reuters quoted Rubiales as saying in a video statement sent by the federation.

"It was without bad faith at a time of maximum effusiveness." The incident took place as Rubiales presented gold medals to the Spanish team after their 1-0 victory over England in the final. He acknowledged his mistake in a video statement released by the federation, admitting that his actions were not with ill intent but rather occurred in the heat of the moment. However, Hermoso's reaction seemed to suggest discomfort.

Video footage shared on social media platforms captured her remarking to teammates in the locker room that she "didn't like it". She later downplayed the incident, stating that it was a spontaneous and mutual gesture prompted by the overwhelming joy of winning a World Cup. It has sparked discussions around consent and gender issues in Spain.