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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Spain’s soccer chief apologises for World Cup kiss

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FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Final - Spain v England - Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia - August 20, 2023 Spain's Jennifer Hermoso celebrates with President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales after the match REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

                                                 Summary

  • Federation chief kissed player on lips during medal hand-out
  • Hermoso heard on video saying she ‘didn’t like it’
  • Both player and president later downplayed incident

 

The Spanish soccer federation chief apologised on Monday after an unsolicited kiss on player Jenni Hermoso’s lips during celebrations of the country’s Women’s World Cup victory sparked outrage, with Spain’s second deputy prime minister calling for his resignation.

The incident happened as federation president Luis Rubiales handed the Spanish team gold medals after they beat England 1-0 in the final on Sunday.

“Surely I was wrong, I have to admit,” Rubiales said in a video statement sent by the federation. “It was without bad faith at a time of maximum effusiveness.”

As the team landed in Madrid on Monday night after their victory in Australia, Rubiales declined to reply to a question about the incident, telling Reuters: “It is time to enjoy and celebrate. We have won a world cup”.

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After the kiss, Hermoso told teammates in the locker room that she “didn’t like it,” according to video footage posted on Instagram and YouTube by El Mundo newspaper and other media outlets.

She later downplayed the incident in a statement sent to Spanish news agency EFE by the federation.

“It was a mutual gesture that was totally spontaneous prompted by the huge joy of winning a World Cup,” the statement said. “The ‘presi’ and I have a great relationship, his behaviour with all of us has always been 10 (out of 10) and this was a natural gesture of affection and gratitude.”

Post-game video footage also depicts Rubiales kissing other players on the cheek or embracing them when handing out the medals.

Standing besides Spain’s Queen Letizia and one of her teenage daughters on the stadium’s seats, Rubiales enthusiastically celebrated the victory, including by grabbing his crotch while pointing to the field.

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Gender issues are a powerful topic in Spain. The Socialist-led government has presided over a raft of legal reforms around gender change, abortion and sex work, but a loophole in its law around sexual consent let rapists out of jail, resulting in a significant electoral loss by far-left Podemos party, in the government coalition, in July’s election.

Asked again about the incident on Spain’s COPE Radio station, Hermoso said: “I wish they created (controversy) involving someone else, I’m a world champion and that’s what matters.”

‘UNACCEPTABLE’

Several government ministers and media commentators criticised the gesture.

Acting Second Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz, whose Sumar political platform includes Podemos, called for Rubiales’ resignation because “without any doubt (he) attacked a woman”, arguing that “his excuses do not work at all”.

Acting Culture and Sports Minister Miquel Iceta said on RNE radio the kiss was “unacceptable” and asked Rubiales to provide an explanation and to apologise.

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A non-consensual kiss is “a kind of sex violence all women suffer daily, which was until now invisible, and which we cannot normalise”, acting Gender Equality Minister Irene Montero said on social messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

An opinion column in Spain’s top-selling El Pais newspaper on Monday morning was titled: “Jenni didn’t like the kiss and we didn’t either” – describing it as “an intrusion, an invasion of privacy, an aggression”.

Rubiales had initially minimized the outrage, calling critics “idiots”.

“The kiss with Jenni? There are idiots everywhere. When two people have a moment of affection that means nothing more, you can’t listen to idiocy. We are the champions, that’s it,” he said, according to Radio Marca.

But in his apology later on Monday, Rubiales included those who called him out.

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“I also want to apologize to these persons,” he said.

-Reuters

 

 

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Nigeria rolls out its army for U17 -Women’s World Cup

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Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has listed Captain Taiwo Afolabi and forwards Harmony Chidi and Peace Effiong in his 21-woman Flamingos’ roster for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic.

The clinical Chidi scored 13 of the team’s record-setting 25 goals in the qualifying series, as the bronze medallists from the last edition of the championship in India barnstormed their way past Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and Liberia in the continental campaign.

Petite midfielder Afolabi will lead the midfield, alongside Faridat Abdulwahab, Shakirat Moshood and Ayomide Rotimi, while first-choice goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma will have Sylvia Echefu and Elizabeth Boniface pushing her to her best all the time.

Taiwo Adegoke leads six other defenders, with Harmony Chidi leading six other forwards including Peace Effiong.

Nigeria will compete in Group A of the 16-nation finals alongside host nation Dominican Republic, Ecuador and New Zealand.

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The delegation of Flamingos will depart the shores of Nigeria aboard a Turkish Airlines flight on Tuesday, 1st October for a two-week training tour in Santo Domingo, capital city of the Dominican Republic, ahead of the commencement of the tournament.

FLAMINGOS FOR FIFA U17 WORLD CUP DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 2024

Goalkeepers: Christiana Uzoma (Edo Queens); Elizabeth Boniface (Sunshine Queens); Sylvia Echefu (Confluence Queens)

Defenders: Prisca Nwachukwu (Imo Strikers); Jumai Adebayo (Naija Ratels); Taiwo Adegoke (Remo Stars Ladies); Rokibat Azeez (New Generation Academy); Hannah Ibrahim (Remo Stars Ladies); Vivian Ekezie (Heartland Queens); Ololade Isiaka (Abia Angels)

Midfielders: Taiwo Afolabi (Delta Queens); Faridat Abdulwahab (Nasarawa Amazons); Shakirat Moshood (Bayelsa Queens); Muinat Rotimi (Nakamura Football Academy)

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Forwards: Oghenemairo Obruthe (City Sports); Harmony Chidi (Imo Strikers); Kudirat Arogundade (Green Foot); Ramotalahi Kareem (Honey Badgers); Aishat Animashaun (Naija Ratels); Peace Effiong (Rivers Angels); Blessing Ifitezue (Delta Queens)

FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Dominican Republic 2024   

Group A: Dominican Republic, Ecuador, New Zealand, Nigeria

Group B: Spain, USA, Korea Republic, Colombia

Group C: Korea DPR, Mexico, Kenya, England

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Group D: Japan, Poland, Brazil, Zambia

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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Justin Madugu takes over from Waldrum as Super Falcons coach

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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the appointment of Justin Madugu as a temporary successor to America’s Randy Waldrum, who has stepped down. 

The NFF announced that its decision was based on the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee.  Coach Justin Madugu will lead the remaining technical crew and take charge of the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons, pending the appointment of a substantive Head Coach.

The Super Falcons’ next big engagement is the Women Africa Cup of Nations finals, taking place in Morocco in the summer of next year.

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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Falconets crash out from U-20 Women’s World Cup

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Japan survived a late scare against Nigeria to set up a re-match of the 2022 final with Spain in Sunday’s quarter-finals.

In rainy Bogota, Miyu Matsunaga’s free header just after the half hour was enough to send Japan to the break with a lead, as they have done at every match at Colombia 2024.

Maya Hijikata then doubled the advantage midway through the second term, tucking home a cross from substitute Chinari Sasai at the back post; that goal taking her joint-top of the adidas Golden Boot race with Brazil’s Vendito.

Olushola Shobowale did manage to pull one back for Nigeria in stoppage time but they couldn’t find a second as Japan hung on to close out the 2-1 win and set up that epic quarter-final clash with Spain. It is a re-match of the final match of the last edition in Costa Rica two years ago.  

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