Luis Rubiales controversy sparks another culture war in Spain

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has suspended Luis Rubiales. Credit: Getty Images/Mark Atkins

When Spanish is now suspended Football club boss Luis Rubiales blamed «false feminism» in what he saw as a personal attack on him in a defiant speech on Friday. The president of the RFEF must have believed that he could split Spanish society by portraying himself as an unfortunate victim of the culture war. /p>

But the truth is that Mr. Rubiales received very little support and almost universal condemnation in the media and from politicians in a moment dubbed «I'm in Spain too».

>Supporting Jenny Hermoso, member of the World Cup-winning Spain team, who Mr. Rubiales felt entitled to kiss on the lips as she collected her winners medal, was huge on social media.

Such slogans and hashtags as «We're with you Jenny» and the harsh «se acabó» (enough is enough) have been trending on X and other sites ever since Mr. Rubiales decided to go on the attack and actually blame Ms. Hermoso in a lie, claiming she agreed to the kiss.

While the RFEF released a surreal statement that casts doubt on whether Ms. Hermoso actually made a statement to the Futpro union saying how she feels themselves a «victim of an attack», more than 80 Spanish football players signed a letter stating that they would no longer play. for the national team, while the current RFEF leadership remains in place.

The list included almost every team that won in Australia and New Zealand, with the exception of Ms Hermoso herself, who stated that she «will not tolerate her word being questioned or words being invented and put in [her] mouth.» '.

Mr. Rubiales seemed to believe he could pit his word and honor against that of a young woman and win, but a streak of feminist victories in Spain in recent years has meant that such previously safe ground for men in positions of power has disappeared. .

In 2018, a court in Pamplona acquitted five participants in the gang rape of an 18-year-old woman at the San Fermines bull run festival, sparking mass demonstrations and demands that women's voices be heard and believed in Spanish society. The so-called «wolf pack» was eventually found guilty of rape, and the left-wing government that came to power that year rolled out an overtly feminist agenda, including a law on consensual rape, menstrual leave, and a parity rule affecting public bodies. . and companies.

Friday's RFEF statement is proceeding with what is said to be a forensic examination of video footage seconds before the kiss to establish that the player pulled Mr. Rubiales against her body despite having his arms behind her. head as he pressed his lips to hers. This echoes what one of the judges said in justifying the «wolf pack» by claiming he sees nothing but «fun and joy» in videos of a teenage woman being raped multiple ways in a dark back room.

Aside from the community of top players and coaches, most of whom have been critical of Mr. Rubiales (with the odd exception of former Spain men's coach Luis Enrique), Spain's political forces have shown rare unanimity in demanding the head of the RFEF leader. .

Even the far-right Vox party, which managed to win over male voters who fear what the party calls «feminist» excesses, such as special courts for men who beat their wives or girlfriends, did not this. defended Rubiales.

Vox leader Santiago Abascal agreed that he should resign due to his «extremely obscene» behavior. Only Mr. Rubiales and his RFEF friends seem unable to see that Spain has changed and the days of testosterone-fuelled hyper-male leadership are over.