The mother of Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales is on a hunger strike over the "inhuman" treatment of her son. The 46-year-old supremo has come in for damning criticism from all quarters after he kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain's Women's World Cup final win.
Angeles Bejar, Luis Rubiales' mother, has locked herself in a church in Motril and has told Spanish news outlet EFE that her strike will continue "indefinitely -- day and night." She also added that the "inhuman and bloody hunt that they are doing with my son is something he does not deserve."
"This is very hard. To say that there is a harassment is not fair," Vanessa Ruiz Bejar, Rubiales' cousin and family spokesperson, told Teledeporte. "That his mother, who is a person of great faith, has taken refuge in God and is on a hunger strike and does not want to leave the church. That his family is suffering very much on his behalf. It is not fair what is happening.
"He has been judged ahead of time and he should be left in peace. We want Jenni to tell the truth. Why has she changed her story three times? Our family has been harassed. This woman should tell the truth. Jenni, you should tell the truth. We want Jenni to tell the truth. The way they are treating with him, the aggression, the feminists, the television, it seems to me shameful. All the people who are taking advantage of the situation, it is shameful."
Hermoso says that the forced kiss during the presentation ceremony on August 20 was not consensual. Rubiales has also, so far, rejected calls to resign regarding his behavior towards the 33-year-old. World soccer's governing body FIFA have since provisionally suspended the Spanish federation chief this past weekend.
The Spanish government requested that Spain's Sports Tribunal (TAD) suspend Rubiales with a decision expected from TAD in the coming days. There was also an "extraordinary and urgent" meeting called by the Spanish soccer federation with all regional federations "to evaluate the situation in which the federation finds itself" which resulted in further calls for Rubiales to resign.
Along with the RFEF, he has been ordered by FIFA to not contact Hermoso who has threatened to take legal action against the federation. Spain's National Court has also now opened a preliminary investigation into Rubiales with prosecutors considering whether he committed sexual assault given the act's "unequivocal nature" after Hermoso stated that the kiss was not consensual.
A National Court statement added that the Pachuca star will be contacted and given the opportunity to reach out to National Court prosecutors within a fortnight regarding information about her rights as a potential victim of alleged sexual assault -- if she decides to press charges.
This latest development is unfolding at Divina Pastora church in Motril and although born in Las Palmas on the Canary Islands, Rubiales was raised in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. In the space of eight days, Spain's women have gone from being world champions to a nation on strike with 81 female players boycotting international duty until Rubiales is gone.
