Just hours after the head of the Spanish soccer federation insisted he would not step down for touching and kissing a member of Spain’s championship team at the weekend’s Women’s World Cup medals ceremony in Australia, players in the squad announced Friday that they will refuse to play until he is gone.
In a joint statement issued by their union, dozens of players said they would not take the field to play for Spain “if the current managers continue.”
In the statement, the player who kissed Jennifer Hermoso said that “at no time did I consent to the kiss that he gave me.”
The players’ ultimatum came after Luis Rubiales, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, said on Friday that he would not stand down, arguing that he was the victim of “social assassination.”
News reports predicted Mr. Rubiales would step down after five years at the helm of Spanish soccer, but instead he stood his ground.
“I will not resign,” he said several times at an extraordinary meeting of the federation, to loud applause from some and silence from others, adding that “I will fight for this until the end” and accusing his critics of “wrong feminism.”
In their response, the players condemned “behaviors that violate the dignity of women,” saying they expect “forceful answers from public powers” to address the episode.
The government’s ability to punish members of the soccer federation is limited, but after Mr. Rubiales’ statement on Friday, it said it was taking steps to suspend him. Víctor Francos, president of the National Sports Council and secretary of state for sports, told Cadena SER radio, “We will act — we are activating all the mechanisms to take appropriate measures.”
The controversy is a reminder that despite the Spanish team’s steep trajectory in the highest echelon of women’s soccer — the team didn’t even qualify for the Women’s World Cup until 2015 — the program has been plagued by sexism and other scandals.
Most recently, 15 players revolted last year against coach Jorge Vilda and the federation led by Mr. Rubiales. They complained of outdated training methods and behavior control, and they refused to play for the national team, although some of them returned and participated in the World Cup.
The players’ use of the plural “current manager” in their statement on Friday seemed to indicate that Mr. Vilda before they play again for Spain.
Members of the women’s national team also reported being disrespected by top male soccer executives, saying the men’s team was given better equipment and treatment. Mr. Vilda has emerged as a polarizing figure in Spanish soccer, but Mr. Rubiales thanked him profusely on Friday and said he would be rewarded with a new contract.
Complaints of sexism persisted for decades. Before the Spanish team’s ascension, it was led for 27 years by Ignacio Quereda, who called some players “chavalitas,” or girls, before finally being dismissed when the players protested.
After the World Cup final in Sydney on Sunday, Mr. Rubiales kissing Ms. Hermoso, a Spanish forward, on the lips. In a post-match videohe was seen apparently announcing his disgust, saying, “Hey, but I didn’t like that!”
Mr. Rubiales, who offered a warm apology on Monday as anger began to grow, offered a different account on Friday. Ms. Hermoso, he said, picked him up and “brought me closer to his body.”
In a statement released earlier this week by the soccer federation on behalf of Ms. Hermoso, he was quoted as saying about the soccer chief’s actions, “It was a completely spontaneous mutual gesture because of the great joy of winning a World Cup.”
But on Wednesday, Ms. Hermoso through his union took “steps” against Mr. Rubiales. And on Thursday, after receiving at least four complaints, the National Sports Council threatened to remove him from public office for violating the country’s law on sexual violence in sports unless the federation sacked him first.
In the players’ statement on Friday, Ms. Hermoso that no consent was given for the kiss.
“I want to make it clear that, as seen in the photos, I never once consented to the kiss he gave me,” wrote Ms. Beautiful. “I do not allow my word to be questioned, especially since these are fabricated words that I did not say.”
Mr. Rubiales continued to call it a “free, mutual and consensual kiss,” adding that he would take Yolanda Diaz, the second deputy prime minister, and other prominent Spanish politicians to court after they demanded his resignation in what was called their “harassment.” Ms. answered Diaz that “Mr. Rubiales still doesn’t know what he did.”
Iker Casillasa retired goalkeeper who played for the men’s national team, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, immediately after Mr. Rubiales said his comments were “cringe-worthy.”
The encounter of Ms. Hermoso and Mr. Rubiales took place not far from Spain’s Queen Letizia on stage as she congratulated the team on its 1-0 victory over England. (Mr. Rubiales offered an apology on Friday for touching her crotch during the post-match celebrations, around the queen.)
As video of the episode spread on social media and many Spaniards reacted with disgust, accusing him of continuing a long legacy of sexism in sport, Mr. Rubiales tried different ways to defuse the controversy.
His first response, before leaving Australia, was to remain adamant that he had done nothing wrong. He said of his critics, “We shouldn’t pay attention to idiots and stupid people.”
This only led to further condemnation of his behavior in Spain, with the minister of culture and sport asking for an explanation and teaches that it is not acceptable to greet soccer players by kissing them on the lips.
Other prominent politicians have demanded the resignation of Mr. Rubiales, with the minister of equality accusing him. of sexual violence. FIFA has also opened disciplinary proceedings.
By the time Mr. Rubiales returned to Spain, it appeared clear that he was in trouble.
Mr. Rubiales said in a video broadcast by the federation on Monday: “I have to apologize. I must have made a mistake.”
But Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said Mr. Rubiales’ behavior was “unacceptable” and that his apology was “insufficient.” Speculation continued to grow that the soccer leader was on thin ice.
The players concluded their statement calling for “real changes, both sporting and structural, that will help the National Team to continue growing,” adding, “We are filled with sadness that such an unacceptable event manages to destroy the greatest sporting success of Spanish women’s football.”
