The disgraced Spanish President has been banned from contacting footballer Jennifer Hermoso. 

FIFA has provisionally suspended Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales for 90 days amid a major ongoing scandal triggered by a nonconsensual kiss during the Women’s World Cup final.

The football governing body said it was suspending Rubiales from “all football-related activities at national and international level” for 90 days with disciplinary proceedings underway. 

The disgraced president has refused to quit or acknowledge the consequences of his despicable behaviour despite nearly all of the coaching staff for Spain’s women’s team resigning citing his “unacceptable attitude”.

“The undersigned, in light of the unacceptable attitude and statements made by the head of the federation, have taken the decision to resign from their positions,” a joint statement read from the 11 coaches and technical staff. 

Rubiales, who is banned from contacting the target of his kiss, Jenni Hermoso, has claimed the kiss was consensual and described it as a mere “peck”. 

“I will not resign, I will not resign, I will not resign,” Rubiales said at the Spanish Federation’s emergency meeting on Friday. “A consensual ‘peck’ is enough to get me out of here? I will fight until the end,” Rubiales said before claiming he was the victim. 

“Whoever watches the video will see the desire in that kiss is the same as with one of my daughters. There is no desire or dominance. It’s not what is being pushed in the media and feminism. The kiss was spontaneous, mutual, and consensual,” Rubiales continued before describing calls for his resignation as a “manhunt.” 

“I apologise unreservedly, but I don’t deserve this manhunt I have been suffering,” Rubiales added. 

The video, which was broadcast live on television before going viral online, shows Rubiales grabbing Hermoso’s head with both hands and kissing her on the lips.

The Spanish FA chief is also facing criticism for another grotesque incident at the final. Rubiales was filmed grabbing his crotch to celebrate the final whistle, despite sitting in the stadium’s VIP area near FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Queen Letizia of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter.

“I want to say sorry for the deeds that happened in a moment of euphoria, I grabbed that part of my body and did so looking at Jorge Vilda [the coach],” Rubiales said.“I was so emotional, I lost control, and I took my hands there.”

Responding to the bizarre speech, Hermoso said in her statement on X, formally known as Twitter, that she “felt vulnerable” and “was not respected.”

“I did not like this incident; I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-driven, sexist out of place act without any consent on my part.”

FIFA’s suspension comes after a protest from all 23 members of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad, including Hermoso and countless other professional women and men footballer players, who said they would not play again for the country until Rubiales is removed from his position.

However, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), who named an interim president, has gone on record stating that Rubiales maintained his innocence. 

“Rubiales has said he will defend himself before the pertinent agencies and fully confides in the work of FIFA, and reiterates that, in this way, he will have the opportunity to begin his defence so that the truth prevails and his full innocence is shown,” a statement from the federation said.

The federation has also appeared to dismiss the strike, saying players had “an obligation” to participate in matches “if they are called for it.” 

Spain’s men’s national team head coach Luis de la Fuente, along with several club coaches, including Barcelona’s Xavi, condemned Rubiales’s actions. 

“I hope that this unfortunate episode is concluded quickly for the good of Spanish football and that the competent bodies resolve and take the pertinent decisions as soon as possible,” de la Fuente wrote in his statement. 

Ahead of his team’s clash with Villarreal on Sunday in La Liga, Xavi devoted his press conference to the attention of Rubiales’s sexual abuse. 

“Firstly, I want to give my unconditional support to Jenni Hermoso and the players. I condemn the behaviour of the president of the Spanish Football Federation. And I regret that people aren’t talking about the historic achievement of winning the World Cup,” the Spanish coach voiced. 

“The pity is that we do not talk about Alexia, Aitana, Cata Coll or their barriers to being world champions. I like to talk football and how well they have done. They have reached a final, suffering in the semi-final. It is a shame that they only talk about the behaviour. Let’s value the players.”