The Spanish Professional Women's Football Players' Union announced on Wednesday that national team player "Jenni Hermoso" has called for "deterrent" measures against Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales after he kissed her on the lips during the celebration of the team's victory in the World Cup. Rubiales kissed Hermoso during the medal ceremony for the Spanish team after their 1-0 victory over England in the final last Sunday, an act that ignited widespread anger both in Spain and abroad, with many, including ministers, demanding his resignation.
Hermoso stated in a joint statement published by the union of professional players and her agency, "My federations, in collaboration with my agency (TMGH), are responsible for defending my interests and have taken on the responsibility as representatives for me in this matter." She added, "We are working to ensure that those who commit such acts do not go unpunished, and that they face consequences, and that deterrent measures are taken to protect female footballers from actions we consider unacceptable."
Rubiales initially described the questions raised about the incident as "foolish" before apologizing in a video on Monday, yet the stream of criticism did not stop.
