Spain‘s Minister for Culture and Sports, Miquel Iceta, has come out publicly to criticise Royal Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales, after he kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips.
As Rubiales was congratulating Hermoso on the podium after winning Spain’s first ever women’s World Cup, he grabbed her head and kissed her on the lips.
After the incident, Hermoso was seen streaming celebrations and claiming that she didn’t like it. Meanwhile Rubiales said he would pay no attention to ‘the idiocy’ and ‘idiots’, calling it a show of affection without much importance.
Nevertheless, the incident has blown up and made international headlines. Hermoso herself tried to calm matters by saying that people shouldn’t think twice about it, and that the pair have an excellent relationship.
However Iceta was not willing to let it slide, and grouped himself in with what Rubiales regards as idiots.
“The first thing he has to do is give explanations and make excuses,” Iceta told RNE, as per Diario AS.
“It is the logical and reasonable thing to expect because it is really true that the moment that was lived in Sydney was a very special moment, a moment of many emotions, but precisely those of us who have public responsibilities must be extremely careful, because we are giving a message to the society, and that message is equality of rights, it is respect, and therefore we should avoid any circumstance that can be interpreted that this is a prevalent thing, a person who is in charge cannot force a kiss, it cannot be.”
Iceta continued on to say that Rubiales in the cold light of day must realise the error of his ways.
“As such, from that point of view, what I would like is to hear the president’s explanations and also for him to apologise, because probably when he sees the images he will realise something which perhaps at the time he did not have in mind.”
Iceta was conscious that it was “a sporting event” but also “a moment of equality, rights and respect for women.”
“We all have to be especially careful in our attitudes and our actions. I think it’s unacceptable to kiss a player on the lips to congratulate her and, as I’ve seen it, because I didn’t see it live, but I saw it later on the social networks, it has to be said.”
No demos por hecho que dar un beso sin consentimiento es algo “que pasa”. Es una forma de violencia sexual que sufrimos las mujeres de forma cotidiana y hasta ahora invisible, y que no podemos normalizar. Es tarea de toda la sociedad. El consentimiento en el centro. Solo sí es sí
— Irene Montero (@IreneMontero) August 20, 2023
Iceta is not the only one to voice his discontent. Minister for Equality Irene Montero tweeted out that it was a form of sexual violence.
