Olga Carmona has left it unclear whether the Spanish women’s team will remain on strike, with their next match on September 22.
The World Cup-winning goalscorer said they will ‘see what happens’ even after the resignation of disgraced former Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales.
More than 80 Spanish players, including the 23 in the World Cup squad, said they would not play until Rubiales resigned after kissing Jenni Hermoso on the mouth after the latest victory without her consent.
Spanish prosecutors filed a sexual assault and coercion lawsuit against Rubiales after Hermoso formally filed a sexual assault complaint. He could receive a prison sentence of up to four years.
Even after Rubiales’ departure, the future of the national team is up in the air. ‘Several changes have taken place. We have a new coach, but first of all we have to wait for the next team and see what happens,” Hermoso said. El Hormiguero, via Football España.
Spanish World Cup hero Olga Carmona has left it up in the air whether Spain’s women’s players would return from strike for next week’s match
Luis Rubiales has resigned as president of the Spanish Football Federation, as the players wanted, but it is not clear whether this will be enough to bring them back
The resignation of ‘Rubiales’ is very recent and we will have to talk to each other and see what happens.
Spain’s next squad will be announced on Friday by new manager Montse Tome.
Carmona continued: ‘We have just seen what we really want, with the example of us becoming world champions. What we want is to continue the growth trend that women’s football has experienced.
“We want to get the conditions that I think we have had in this World Cup, and we have felt very comfortable because the Federation has bent over backwards, and I think that has also helped us achieve what we have achieved.
‘So we must continue on that line of growth and improvement in order to develop our profession at the highest level.’
One of the main criticisms from the player camp was a lack of professionalism. World Cup-winning manager Jorge Vilda, a long-time ally of Rubailes, has been sacked but they clearly want to see more systemic change.
Rubiales has felt the heat of international outrage after kissing Jenni Hermoso on the mouth without her consent
The Spanish Football Federation has come under heavy criticism for the way it handled the saga. It took about three weeks for Rubiales to leave his post.
Although they released a statement calling his behavior “totally unacceptable” and saying they felt “embarrassed,” there was initially strong support for Rubiales when he insisted he would not resign.
The Spanish men’s team stood behind their female counterparts and criticized Rubiales’ ‘unacceptable behaviour’.
As of today, Tuesday, he is still protesting his innocence, saying he kissed Hermoso in a way he would kiss one of his daughters.
FIFA insists on banning him from football for fifteen years.