Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish Football Federation, apologised on Monday for kissing star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain won the Women’s World Cup.
Rubiales, 45, planted the kiss on Hermoso after she collected her medal following the final in Sydney, provoking outrage in Spain.
“Certainly I made a mistake and I have to acknowledge that,” Rubiales said in a video posted on social media by Spanish television.
“It was done without any ill intention in a moment of the highest exuberance. Here we saw it as natural and normal but outside it has caused a commotion.
“I have no choice but to apologise and to learn from this… and when representing the federation take more care,” he said, adding that he thought the furore was “idiotic”.
Earlier Spain’s sports minister on Monday had demanded that Rubiales apologise.
“I think it is unacceptable to kiss a player on the lips to congratulate her,” acting minister Miquel Iceta told Spanish public radio.
“The first thing he has to do is to give explanations and make apologies, it is the logical and reasonable thing to do,” Iceta said.
The minister added that while the 1-0 victory over England on Sunday in Sydney was “a moment of intense emotions”, public officials “have to be extremely careful because we are giving a message to society and the message is equal rights, it is respect”.
Rubiales on Monday stressed that he had a “magnificent relationship” with Hermoso. Later on Sunday the federation released their own quotes from Hermoso.—AFP
