MADRID: The FIFA disciplinary committee suspended Spanish football federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales onSaturday after the RFEF threatened to take legal action against national team player Jenni Hermoso amid a kissing incident at the women's World Cup.
Rubiales will be suspended from all football-related activities at national and international levels for an initial period of 90 days, the football governing body said.
FIFA also issued two additional directives, ordering Rubiales and the RFEF to refrain from contacting or attempting to contact Spain player Jennifer Hermoso or her close environment.
Earlier onSaturday, the RFEF said it would take legal action against Hermoso and the FUTPRO union after she said that the kiss on the lips from Rubiales at the World Cup victory ceremony was not consensual.
Spain beat England 1-0 to win a first world title last Sunday in Sydney.On Friday, Rubiales said at an emergency RFEF assembly that he would not resign and stressed that the kiss was consensual, which Hermoso furiously dismissed.
The RFEF, however, insisted that Rubiales did not lie when he said that the kiss had been consensual and Hermoso had lifted him up in the incident.The RFEF statement included four photos of the incident which were to prove that Rubiales did not lie and that Hermoso had lifted him into the air.
It said the photos exposed "lies" which were spread "in the name or by the player herself" and that the RFEF and Rubiales would take legal action against them." The incident and Rubiales' refusal to resign has caused a storm, and FIFA started an ethics probe on Thursday. Further information on the proceedings won't be provided "until a final decision has been taken," the federation said.
The women's team said it would not play again under the current RFEF leadership in the FUTPRO statement, and Spain's governing sports body CSD is aiming to have him suspended by launching a complaint at the nation's administrative sports court TAD.
The CSD has asked the TAD to convene as early as Monday and said that Rubiales could be suspended as soon as the TAD accepts the complaint and starts its probe.
Spain's acting Deputy Prime Minister, Teresa Ribera told the Europa Press news agency the government would do everything possible to make sure that Rubiales gives up his position or is removed.