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One of Spain's star soccer players could face legal action after the country's football association said it would sue her for saying she did not consent to a kiss with the organization's president.
The incident occurred after Spain's 1-0 victory over England in the final of the 2023 women's World Cup in Sydney, Australia.
Luis Rubiales, the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), was seen giving Jenni Hermoso a kiss on live TV during the presentation ceremony.
He also grabbed his crotch while celebrating his team's win in the VIP section of Stadium Australia, while he stood close to Queen Letizia of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter, Infanta Sofía.
Rubiales refused to resign from his position over the incident, but the Spanish government announced that it was looking to suspend him, the BBC reported.
The International Federation of Association Football's (FIFA) disciplinary committee announced on Saturday that it had provisionally suspended Rubiales from "all football-related activities," both at a national and international level, for 90 days.
FIFA said Rubiales had been alerted of the committee's decision, adding that it had ordered him and RFEF not to contact Hermoso or those close to her.
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Rubiales fired back at critics while speaking to media on Friday, saying the kiss was "mutual, euphoric and consensual."
"Jenni was the one who lifted me up," he added. "I told her to 'forget about the penalty' and I said to her 'a little peck?' and she said 'OK'."
Hermoso contradicted Rubiales' version of events in an Instagram statement, saying his words were "categorically false."
"I want to make it clear that at no time did the conversation to which Mr. Luis Rubiales refers to in his address take place, and, above all, was his kiss ever consensual," the post says.
"Simply put, I was not respected," it adds.
The RFEF has now announced that it will take legal action over Hermoso's "lies," the BBC reported.
"The evidence is conclusive," the organization said. "Mr President has not lied."
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The report says that the RFEF released four photographs of the kiss, each accompanied by an analysis, which it claims is proof Hermoso lifted Rubiales' feet off the ground.
Following Rubiales' refusal to step down, 81 Spanish players said they would refuse to play for the national team until he is removed from his role.
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"After everything that happened during the Women's World Cup medal ceremony, we want to state that all the players who sign this letter will not return to a selection for the national team if the current leaders continue," the statement read.
The players' strike comes as Spain is set to take on Sweden at the UEFA Women's Nations League tournament on September 22.
The RFEF also addressed Hermoso's teammates refusal to play in its statement announcing legal action, saying that players have an "obligation" to represent their country if selected for the team.
Representatives for the RFEF and Jenni Hermoso did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
