Rubiales apologizes and claims to be victim of unprecedented political and media lynching
Madrid, Sept. 1 (EFE) – Luis Rubiales, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday in which he apologized “with humility” for his behavior after the final of the Women’s World Cup.
“Last August 20, I made some obvious mistakes that I sincerely regret. It is true that I have asked for forgiveness for those mistakes because it was fair; and now I do it again with humility. I do it with conviction and with the goal of improving,” he writes.
“I have learned that no matter how great the joy and deep the emotion, even when you win a WORLD CUP, sports leaders should be required to behave in an exemplary manner(…) Therefore, I repeat my apologies to the players, the federation and other football organizations, in an emphatic and unmitigated manner. Also to the football fans and to all those whom I may have offended,” he continued.
The former RFEF president said he had made the appropriate statements and told the truth.
“It is my only version, the one I have maintained from the beginning and which I will continue to defend,” he says.
Further down, he proclaims: “I have suffered an unprecedented political and media lynching from which I have been completely excluded. Not only nationally, but globally”.
“It is particularly worrying that those who should be proclaiming and helping to guarantee the separation of powers in our country insist on participating in the pressure against me, instead of letting the judiciary act,” he adds.
In the document Rubiales also maintains his version that the kiss was consensual.
The former RFEF president has been suspended by FIFA for 90 days and says he will continue to provide evidence in the investigation into his conduct.
“From the very beginning, the RFEF, through its integrity department, has followed the appropriate procedures. I was called and I cooperated (…) I will continue to cooperate in all areas until the end,” Rubiales said.
“I have also used the procedure opened by FIFA to defend my position. And I will continue to do so in all other areas where I can show my honor,” he added.
Rubiales also thanked those who had supported him “in the face of such a false injustice and public condemnation”.
“It is time to thank you infinitely for your immense support, for believing me, for not getting carried away by this fabricated campaign against me. The support of the people makes me believe that this issue has been exaggerated and taken out of context for other reasons,” he says.
Adding that he continues to “trust in the independence of the bodies in which this issue must be resolved, despite the fact that political and media pressure is as interested as it is brutal, and that the information on this matter is subject to a multitude of manipulations, lies and censorship”.
He concludes the statement by saying, “I will continue to defend myself to prove the truth. I want to send a message to all good people in our country and beyond our borders, including the women who have been unfairly attacked and who have my full support and understanding: this isn’t about gender, it’s real.”
Adding “you should not try to sink a man in the name of feminism, – or a woman – without a fair trial. Equality begins with equal rights for all. Justice is applied to people without their sex determining the results,” he concludes.
GATHERINGS IN SUPPORT OF JENNY HERMOSO
Meanwhile, rallies to reject Rubiales actions and in support of Jenny Hermoso were held in Madrid, Jaen, Malaga, Sevilla, Ponferrada and even in Motril, Rubiales’ hometown in Granada, southern Spain.
Sources from Motril Feminista, the platform that called for the protest, have pointed out that Rubiales cannot be allowed to “play the victim and blame Jennifer Hermoso. He has not understood anything, just as his compatriots cannot understand his insults, his insolence, his arrogance and his inappropriate comments”
“What makes him think that he is the one who gives out feminist identity cards,” they added
