Football and Sexual Misconduct: Why did it happen?

After the Spanish women’s team won the football World Cup, Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales, kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent.

This caused a huge outrage and became a global story.

Rubiales has resigned now after denying on several occasions that he won’t but why did it happen?

But this has a deep connection with Spain’s gender disparity in sports.

Let’s take a deep dive into the matter, and see what the core issue here is.

What’s the back story?

Rubiales was one of several people who greeted and congratulated the players following Spain’s women’s team won the World Cup.

In the process, he kissed the cheeks of many players, flung one over his shoulder, and then kissed Hermoso on the lips.

Later, in the locker room, Rubiales informed the teammates that he planned to marry Hermoso in Ibiza.

However, afterward, Rubiales apologized in a video after receiving backlash for his conduct.

Hermoso stated that she felt the victim of the sexual misconduct and it wasn’t consensual. When pressed by the media, Rubiales claimed that it was consensual, and repeatedly denied that he was going to resign.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation initially supported him and said “The evidence is conclusive. The President has not lied.”

The aftermath from the kiss has gripped Spanish football in recent weeks, overshadowing Spain’s World Cup victory, with Rubiales first refusing demands to quit before finally stepping down.

The gender disparity issue

The event draws attention to long-standing gender disparities in football. Spain’s national women’s team has battled for equivalent compensation to the men’s team, which they finally obtained in 2022.

Many sportsmen throughout the world have remarked Rubiales’ behavior is typical of how many football organizations have handled their female players, and they have backed the widespread criticism of it.

The uproar over Rubiales’ activities followed complaints from a number of teams of abuse and sexual misconduct by persons in positions of power, indicating that such issues are systematic and not limited to one nation.

An independent assessment commissioned by the United States Soccer Federation in 2022 discovered evidence of “systemic” abuse, including sexual misbehavior and emotional abuse directed at players in the National Women’s Soccer League in America.

Join Our Knowledge Hub: Sign Up for Diverse Insights Today!