The case of the kiss of the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, to international Jenni Hermoso will not affect the joint candidacy for the 2030 World Cup, a source from the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) told Lusa This Thursday.
Questioned by Lusa, an official FPF source downplayed the impact of the joint candidacy controversy involving Portugal, Spain, Ukraine and Morocco: “The candidacy for the 2030 World Cup is a project above any person or position.”
FIFA will announce in 2024 who will award this organization, the second tournament to host 48 countries, instead of the 32 that participated in Qatar, after this expanded format was inaugurated in 2026.
“It was born from the will of federations, but today it is a candidacy of countries committed to being the home of the greatest global sporting event and nothing will stand in the way of the will to host the best World Cup ever to stand.”added the same source.
Rubiales will hand in his resignation on Friday, federal sources told the EFE agency on Thursday.
The leader, who was elected in May 2018, will announce the decision at the RFEF’s extraordinary general meeting, scheduled for Friday, at the organization’s headquarters, in Madrid’s football city of Las Rosas, starting at noon local. (11am in Lisbon).
The sacking sparked controversy Sunday, with Rubiales kissing footballer Jenni Hermoso, without her consent, shortly after Spain’s women’s side won the World Cup that took place in Australia and New Zealand.
Since the incident, Rubiales has been the target of numerous criticisms from the most diverse quarters, from the head of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, to various public and political figures, including Jenni Hermoso herself, who initially devalued the economy. situation, but on Wednesday he appealed to the union of Spanish footballers (FUTPRO) to ask for sanctions against Rubiales.
The Professional Women’s Football League (Liga F) has also filed a complaint with the Higher Sports Council, asking for the disqualification of Luis Rubiales for “dirty and embarrassing behaviour”.
Similarly, FIFA this Thursday opened a disciplinary investigation against the president of the RFEF, considering that the acts “may constitute a violation of paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 13 of the Disciplinary Act” of the body, referring to the fact that the behavior “impairs the dignity or integrity” of a person on account of his or her gender.
Source: DN
