Shameless Spanish kiss-gate FA chief Luis Rubiales insists kissing Jenni Hermoso ‘was EXACTLY the same as my daughters’ and says ‘the truth will come out’ in criminal investigation
- Luis Rubiales will resign as head of the Spanish Football Federation following the ‘kiss-gate’ scandal
- Spanish star Jennifer Hermoso said she did not consent to Rubiales’ kiss
Disgraced Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales has insisted he kissed Jennifer Hermoso the way he would kiss one of his daughters.
Rubiales has been at the center of a storm of controversy since kissing Hermoso on the lips after Spain won the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney last month.
The 46-year-old faced calls to resign after the incident. with protests against his presidency across Spain and high-profile figures from the football world and beyond calling for him to resign.
FIFA initially handed him a 90-day ban and is pushing for a longer ban, and the Spanish Football Federation publicly apologized for his behavior.
Rubiales finally announced on Monday that he would be stepping down from his role, but in an interview with Piers Morgan, set to air on Tuesday night, he steadfastly insisted he meant no harm by kissing Hermoso.
Disgraced Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales has insisted he meant no harm when he kissed Jennifer Hermoso after the Women’s World Cup final.
Rubiales (right) kissed Hermoso as she collected her medal after Spain defeated England in the Women’s World Cup final last month
Rubiales said that he kissed Hermoso as he would kiss one of his daughters
“There was no harm, no sexual content, no aggression, nothing like that,” Rubiales told Piers Morgan Uncensored.
“The meaning of the kiss to Jenni would have been exactly the same as a kiss to one of my daughters.
‘That is very common between friends and family.’
He added: ‘Under no circumstances was there any aggression and under no circumstances was there any sexual content.
‘I want to say again, Piers, that I made a mistake. My apologies, but let’s be clear: this is not sexual aggression under any circumstances.”
Rubiales described the kiss as “a very happy moment, a celebration, a euphoric moment,” but admits that he “should have acted in a more solemn, cold and diplomatic way.”
Hermoso filed a formal complaint last week before returning to Mexico, where she plays her club soccer. Prosecutors announced Friday that they had filed their formal complaint with a judge at the Audiencia Nacional court in Madrid.
The outgoing Spanish FA president has insisted the kiss was consensual, describing it as a ‘kiss’.
Rubiales continues to face the possibility of criminal charges of assault and coercion over his “unsolicited kiss” after Spain’s National Court – the country’s highest court – opened a preliminary investigation into Rubiales’ conduct.
But the head of Spain’s football association is adamant that the truth will ’emerge’ in a criminal investigation.
“I have full confidence that the truth will come out and everything will be fine. Look at my face, I’m a good guy,” he said.
Rubiales (left) announced his resignation in an exclusive interview with Piers Morgan (right)
The disgraced Spanish FA chief insisted the truth will be revealed in an investigation
Rubiales also told Morgan that he had spoken to his daughters Lucía, Ana and Elena, as well as his father and friends before coming to the decision to resign after clinging to the post for weeks.
‘I’ve spoken to my daughters and they know it’s not a question about me. They tell me to focus on my dignity and my life. In this situation, this is what I have to do now,” he said.
“Some friends who were very close to me said, ‘Luis, you need to focus on your dignity and get on with your life, or you’re going to hurt the people you love and the sport you love.’
World Cup-winning manager Jorge Vilda was removed from his position following Rubiales’ suspension, not long after the outgoing president offered him a new contract.