Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales has said he will continue defending himself “to prove the truth”.
Rubiales, 46, has been widely criticised after he kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain’s Women’s World Cup final win on 20 August.
Hermoso said the kiss during the medal ceremony was not consensual.
Rubiales has been suspended by world football’s governing body Fifa, but repeatedly refused to resign.
“I will continue to defend myself to prove the truth,” he said in a statement on Friday, his first public comments since 25 August, when he refused to step down at an extraordinary general assembly called by the football federation.
Earlier, Spain’s national sports tribunal (TAD) opened a misconduct case against him.
The TAD ruled Rubiales committed a “serious offence” by kissing Hermoso, but stopped short of the “very serious offence” the government had requested which would have led to his suspension.
In response, sports minister Miquel Iceta called for Rubiales’ suspension saying: “The National Sports Council is going to ask the court to temporarily suspend Luis Rubiales from his duties until the case against him has been definitively resolved.”
More to follow.
