The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have reached an agreement with the Spain team for the majority of players to continue playing, ahead of their Nations League clash on Friday with Sweden. However the negotiations are expected to bring about a series of dismissals.
Following the reisgnation of Luis Rubiales as President of the RFEF, four of their demands are yet to be met, after 39 players said they would not play until profound changes were made. Three of Montse Tome’s original 23-woman squad were open to playing originally, two are set to leave the camp, and the other 18 appear to have been convinced by the agreements reached.
The outstanding demands were; the restructuring of women’s football, restructuring of the general secretariat, restructuring of the marketing and communication department, restructuring of the integrity committee.
It appears General Secretary and Rubiales’ right-hand man Andreu Camps will be the first to fall, as per Sport. Various others are expected to follow, although specific names have not been given.
Minister for Sport Victor Francos emerged from their hotel at 04:30 in the morning following seven hours of negotiations with the players and the RFEF, where they agreed the formation of a commitee involving representation from both, and the High Council for Sport (CSD), which will seek to oversee the changes agreed.
‘Immediate changes’ are expected, beyond the exit of the Camps, including the restructuring of women’s football in the RFEF, and various improvements in sporting law regarding equal pay and gender equality.
“Essentially, they have to do with the development of the Sports Law, regarding everything that has to do with gender equality policies, advancing equal pay, advancing equality in the quality of infrastructure for sports and, in this case, for women’s football,” Francos declared.
“Obviously, I do not want to deceive you, and I want to be very honest with you. The players have also expressed their concern to us about the need to make changes in the Royal Spanish Football Federation and the federation has committed to ensuring that these changes occur in an immediate manner.”
Francos claimed that talks were conducted in an open, honest and cordial manner too. Head of Women’s Football in the RFEF did double down on Tome’s statement that Jenni Hermoso needed to be protected, claiming it was the media attention she needed protecting from.
It appears, that at the very least, there is to be positive movement in the situation. Spain would have risked their participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics had they not appeared for Nations League matches, but now at the very least that has been avoided. The Spain squad themselves are yet to make a public statement since negotiations finished.
