The European football’s governing body ( UEFA) have been slammed by Ian Wright, Ada Hegerberved g and Casey Stoney for remaining silent on the Luis Rubiales’ kissing scandal.
The disgraced president of the Spanish Football Federation was provisionally suspended by FIFA over the weekend after he refused to resign for kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain’s Women’s World Cup win.
Rubiales, whose future will be discussed at another emergency meeting of the Spanish FA on Monday, serves as a UEFA vice-president and earns around £214,000 a year for that role.
He could serve on UEFA’s executive committee until 2027.
The Spanish football chief also serves as chairman of UEFA’s Club Licensing Committee and is deputy chairman of their Marketing Advisory Committee.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin didn’t attend the World Cup final between Spain and England in Sydney and there has been no official comment from the body so far.
But Thierry Favre, who is UEFA’s deputy director of national associations, did attend the Rubiales press conference on Friday.
This has led to criticism over the weekend from former England and Arsenal striker Wright, who responded to news of FIFA’s suspension of Rubiales by tweeting: ‘Good. But still silence from UEFA. No comment on the behaviour of their Vice President.
‘Same UEFA whose president did not attend the Women’s World Cup final where both teams represented the region.
‘These are the same people in charge of leading the future of women’s football. They don’t give a s***!’
Prominent Norwegian footballer Ada Hegerberg said: ‘This is the @UEFA Vice-President, re-elected in the executive committee earlier this year, dropping that horrendous speech.
‘If you don’t see the issue, you are part of it. My thoughts with the players who should be celebrating, and with the ones who decided to stay home. Enough.’
Lionesses legend Stoney tweeted: ‘MISSING: Has anyone seen or heard from @UEFA? The players and our sport deserve better. Do the right thing!
‘You have a unique opportunity to stand up and show the world your values. WHAT ARE THEY?’
In a stunning press conference on Friday, Rubiales refused to stand down as head of the Spanish FA as he lashed out at ‘false feminism’ for a ‘social murder’ of his reputation.
Rubiales sparked outrage after he kissed Hermoso on the mouth as she stepped up to receive her medal following Spain’s 1-0 win.
Footage also emerged that showed Rubiales grabbing his crotch while standing near Queen Letizia of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter Princess Infanta Sofia – behaviour he apologised for
Hermoso has been threatened with legal action by the Spanish football federation after she said she didn’t consent to the kiss and disputed Rubiales’ version of events.
Rubiales claimed that Hermoso ‘lifted me up’ during the celebrations and agreed to ‘a little kiss’. ‘The kiss was the same I could give one of my daughters,’ Rubiales added.
He was provisionally suspended by FIFA ‘from all football-related activities at national and international level’ with disciplinary proceedings opened against the 46-year-old.
81 Spanish players – including all 23 who went to the Women’s World Cup – have announced they will not represent their country until Rubiales is removed from his position.
