pLAURA WOODS has slammed Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales for refusing to resign amid his ongoing kiss scandal./p
pRubiales, 46, a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23565113/luis-rubiales-spain-jenni-hermoso-kiss/grabbed and kissed Spain forward Jenni Hermoso/a, 33, on the lips following La Roja#8217;s a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23562677/england-spain-womens-world-cup-final-carmona/1-0 World Cup final win over England/a on Sunday./p
figure id=attachment_23664859 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 741pximg decoding=async fetchpriority=high src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/09896716-4818-493f-937a-a343aaf241f1.jpg?strip=allamp;w=731 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23664859 width=731 height=960 /figcaption class=wp-caption-textWoods has criticised Rubiales for kissing Hermoso/figcaptionfigcreditRex/figcredit/figure
figure id=attachment_23664805 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 513pximg decoding=async src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/jenni-hermoso-luis-rubiales-spanish-839160419-12.jpg?strip=allamp;w=503 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23664805 width=503 height=672 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditBBC/figcredit/figureRubiales kissed the forward after the Women#8217;s World Cup final[/caption]
figure id=attachment_23664837 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 970pximg decoding=async src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-president-royal-spanish-football-840147224-1.jpg?strip=allamp;w=960 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23664837 width=960 height=573 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditReuters/figcredit/figureHe refused to resign from his position on Friday after addressing the issue[/caption]
pHermoso has since admitted a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23663922/hermoso-did-not-consent-kiss-rubiales-spain-fa-defence/she did not consent/a to the kiss, despite Rubiales claiming that she did./p
pThe RFEF president has received widespread criticism as a result, with a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23661466/spain-world-cup-demand-disgraced-luis-rubiales-sacked-kiss/81 Spain stars now refusing to play/a for the women#8217;s team until he is dismissed./p
pRubiales a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23655021/luis-rubiales-leaves-spanish-fa-kissing-hermoso-world-cup/rejected the chance to resign/a from his position during an emergency press conference on Friday and blamed #8220;false feminism#8221; for his #8220;social assassination#8221;./p
pAnd the Spanish Football Federation are now defending him by threatening legal action against Hermoso and her international teammates./p
pSeveral players and pundits have since shown their support for the forward, including ITV and TNT Sports presenter a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/who/laura-woods/Woods/a./p
pThe 36-year-old heavily criticised the RFEF in a passionate rant on Friday afternoon./p
pIn a social media thread, Woods tweeted: #8220;Luis Rubiales letting his mask slip while The World was watching SHOULD be the final warning in a long amp; exhausted list of warnings that have been ignored./p
p#8220;A microscopic look into The Spanish FA’s behaviour towards amp; treatment of The Women’s National Team amp; its failure to listen to the 15 that a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23532922/spain-womens-world-cup-mutiny-vilda/protested against their coach Jorge Vilda/a is embarrassingly overdue./p
figure id=attachment_23664870 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 650pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2022-quarter-final-match-england-829724437.jpg?strip=allamp;w=640 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23664870 width=640 height=960 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditGetty/figcredit/figureThe presenter has called for an investigation into the Spanish FA[/caption]
p#8220;On Rubiales, he either didn’t know his behaviour (and previous) was wrong, OR…he did, and did it anyway. For someone in his position, one reason is surely as dangerous as the other./p
p#8220;Best case #8211; Rubiales should not hold that much power with so little self awareness./p
p#8220;This actually isn’t trial by social media…it’s a pattern of behaviour being called out in a way that can’t be ignored any longer./p
p#8220;And if some sort of justice is served, perhaps a ‘social assassination’ as Rubiales calls it, is exactly what was needed.#8221;/p
pWorld Cup runners-up a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/team/1196702/england/England/a have also expressed support for the national team./p
pThe Lionesses released a joint statement on Friday evening which read: #8220;Unacceptable actions allowed to happen by a sexist and patriarchal organisation./p
p#8220;Abuse is abuse and we have all seen the truth./p
p#8220;The behaviour of those who think they are invincible must not be tolerated and people shouldn’t need convincing to take action against any form of harassment./p
p#8220;We all stand with you, Jenni Hermoso and all players of the Spanish team.#8221;/p
pReal Betis striker a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23656578/spain-striker-quits-luis-rubiales-borja-iglesias/Borja Iglesias became the first men#8217;s player to take action/a against the RFEF this week when he announced that he will go on strike from international football until the issue is resolved./p
pHe tweeted: #8220;I am sad and disappointed./p
p#8220;As a footballer and as a person I don#8217;t feel represented by what happened today in the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas. I find it unfortunate that they continue to press and focus on a colleague./p
p#8220;Wearing the Spanish national team shirt is one of the greatest things that has happened to me in my career./p
p#8220;I don#8217;t know if at some point I will be an option again, but I have made the decision not to return to the national team until things change and this type of act does not go unpunished./p
p#8220;For a fairer, more humane and decent football.#8221;/p
