Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1506631
15 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 30 AUGUST 2023 WORLD THE Spanish FA have threatened to leave UEFA if president Luis Rubiales is removed from his role following his kiss with Jenni Her- moso. Rubiales made headlines after Spain won the Women's World Cup after beating England 1-0 in the final. As president of the Spanish Football Federation, Rubiales was involved in the winners' ceremony and was seen kissing Hermoso on the lips after the victory. Hermo- so, 33, said the kiss wasn't consen- sual. Rubiales is refusing to resign. In a statement following a meet- ing of Spain's regional presidents, the Spanish federation said: "After recent events and the unaccept- able behaviour that has seriously damaged the image of Spanish football, the presidents request that Luis Rubiales resign immedi- ately as president of the RFEF. We will urge the relevant authorities to carry out a profound and immi- nent organisational restructuring in strategic positions of the feder- ation in order to make way for a new stage in the management of Spanish football." Spanish FA could leave UEFA Now, Rubiales has been sus- pended by FIFA and they've called for him to be banned from foot- ball for 15 years. However, before his suspension, Rubiales instructed the Spanish FA to write to UEFA complaining of government interference and asking for the federation to be sus- pended. It would mean their teams and national teams would be automat- ically excluded from European competitions. That is backed up by a report from Spanish outlet Onda Cero. They also claim the Spanish FA have threatened to leave UEFA if Rubiales is permanently removed as the president. This may lead to the removal of all Spanish teams from European competitions. UEFA rules state: "its members 'shall manage their affairs inde- pendently and without undue in- fluence from third parties. Any body or decision of a body that has not been elected or ap- pointed in accordance with said procedure, even provisionally, will not be recognized by UEFA". Which Spanish teams could be removed from Europe? If that's the case, it would impact seven clubs in this season's Euro- pean competitions. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad would be kicked out of the Champions League, Villarreal and Real Betis would be removed from the Europa League while Osasuna would be taken out of the Europa Conference League. Any ban would have to be ex- tended to all Spanish national teams if it wasn't accepted by the Spanish FA. The draws for those European competitions will take place this week and it's fully expected all seven clubs will be involved in the respective draws. But the situa- tion will be monitored before the competitions actually begin in case the Spanish FA do, indeed, leave UEFA. In a bizarre twist to the saga, Ru- biales' mother has taken action to defend the treatment of her son. She has reportedly locked herself in a church and gone on hunger strike. Meanwhile, Spanish prosecutors have opened a preliminary inves- tigation into whether the incident amounts to sexual assault. A state- ment from the Spanish national court said: "Prosecutors from the national court have opened a pre- liminary investigation to look into the facts, which could constitute an offence of sexual assault." Hermoso has released a state- ment of her own that read: "I feel the need to denounce what happened because I believe that no person, in any work, sports or social environment, should be a victim of this type of non-consen- sual behaviour. I felt vulnerable and the victim of an aggression, an impulsive, machista (chauvinistic) act, out of place and without any consent on my part. Simply put, I was not respected. I want to reit- erate that I do not have to support the person who has committed this action against my will, with- out respecting me, in a historic moment for me and for women's sport in this country." Why Barcelona and Real Madrid 'could be removed' from Champions League In a screenshot of a video shared on social media, Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales kisses Spain player Jenni Hermoso in the medals and trophy presentation after the team's victory in the 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup final against England at Stadium Australia in Sydney (Image: Twitter) Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales