Aussie Olympian Jana Pittman reveals she was ‘kissed inappropriately’ by an international coach – as Spain football boss’s World Cup disgrace brings back bad memories

Aussie Olympian Jana Pittman has revealed that she was once “inappropriately” kissed by an international coach during her distinguished sporting career.

Talk about the ABC Question+A program on Monday night, the 40-year-old felt compelled to tell her own story as she spoke about the behavior of Spain’s football president Luis Rubiales, who kissed star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney on August 20.

Hermoso said she did not agree to the kiss after Spain’s victory over England, as Rubiales had claimed.

Rubiales has been banned as president for 90 days and FIFA is expected to push for the disgraced official to be banned from all levels of football for 15 years.

Spain’s FA chiefs have asked 46-year-old Rubiales to resign with immediate effect because his “unacceptable” behavior has “seriously damaged the image of Spanish football”.

Pittman told her story during Q+A about the behavior of Spanish soccer president Luis Rubiales, who kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the Women’s World Cup final (pictured)

Hermoso, along with 80 other Spanish players – including the entire World Cup-winning squad – have stated that they are on strike from the national team until the ‘lead’ changes.

Pittman – who is now a doctor – said it brought back memories of her time on the track and field circuit as a champion hurdler.

She also represented Australia at the 2014 Winter Olympics in the two-person bobsleigh event.

“I was inappropriately kissed by a coach, not mine, an international coach where it was a cultural norm in that setting,” Pittman said.

“And I didn’t really think about it until I witnessed this (Hermoso incident) on television.”

Pittman stated that she had a friendly relationship with the “phenomenal coach,” but now looks back on the incident in the aftermath of the World Cup very differently.

She believes more needs to be done to make professional sport safer for women.

“Consent is very important for our women to feel safe in those different environments and if we don’t stand up for that publicly then it’s really a crime for women worldwide,” she said.

Pittman did not name the coach involved in her incident, but stressed that professional sport should be a safe arena for women (pictured, after winning gold in the 400m hurdles at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne)

The entire Q+A panel condemned Rubiales’ behavior, which they said was not “even a little apologetic”

Pittman, a mother of six, also said it was “wrong” that Rubiales had not yet resigned over the kiss.

“I feel like if he had even apologized in the slightest for those comments, we would all feel very differently about the way he’s behaving,” she said.

In addition, Rubiales’ kiss was condemned by the entire Q&A panel.

“It’s so undermining and so demeaning to the person and it’s been such a distraction,” said MamaMia editor Jessie Stephens.

“(He) needs to step down, the fact that he hasn’t is very disappointing. We can’t let it go on, we need to keep the conversation going,” Liberal MP Aaron Violi said.