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FOOTBALL

Spain women’s national football team to get same pay as men’s side

Female players belonging to 'La Selección' will receive the same pay for representing their country as male players, the Spanish football federation announced on Tuesday.

equal pay women's football team spain
Spain's players (back row L-R) Spain's defender Andrea Pereira, Spain's midfielder Patri Guijarro, Spain's defender Maria Leon, Spain's striker Jenni Hermoso, Spain's goalkeeper Sandra Panos and Spain's midfielder Alexia Putellas, (front row L-R) Spain's striker Amaiur Sarriegi, Spain's midfielder Aitana Bonmati, Spain's defender Ona Batlle, Spain's striker Mariona Caldentey and Spain's defender Leila Ouahabi. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

The agreement will be for the next five years and while salaries are not paid for playing for Spain, the deal ensures male and female players enjoy the same terms regarding bonuses and image rights.

Working conditions will also be made equal, including provisions for travel, food and accommodation.

“From now on, the players of the national team will have an advance on bonuses, exactly the same as for the men’s team. We have closed an agreement for the next five years,” said the federation’s president Luis Rubiales.

“All the players will also have a percentage of the sponsorships from now on. I think it is difficult to find (anywhere else) such a complete agreement.”

Spain joins countries like Brazil, England, the United States, Norway and Denmark in reaching an agreement over equal pay for international players.

Amanda Gutierrez, president of the Futpro union, who represented Spain’s female players in the negotiations, said: “Today is an historic day.

“It makes equal the conditions enjoyed by the men and women’s teams.”

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CORRUPTION

Police search Spanish football federation over alleged corruption

Spanish police searched the Spanish football federation (RFEF) headquarters and its former president Luis Rubiales' house among other locations as part of an investigation into alleged corruption and other crimes, judicial sources said Wednesday.

Police search Spanish football federation over alleged corruption

According to Spanish media the operation is part of a court investigation into contracts signed by former federation chief Rubiales to take the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.

The contracts signed are worth €40 million a year ($43.3 million) and were arranged with former footballer Gerard Piqué’s company Kosmos acting as an intermediary.

The operation involved searches of various locations across Spain as well as the RFEF’s base in Las Rozas, on the edge of Madrid, and Rubiales’ property in Granada, although the 46-year-old is currently outside of Spain.

Rubiales stepped down in disgrace in September after forcibly kissing Women’s World Cup star Jenni Hermoso to provoke worldwide outrage, following Spain’s triumph in the Sydney final in August.

Police acted in “an investigation linked to presumed crimes linked with corruption in business, fraudulent administration and money laundering”, said judicial sources.

The sources said that seven arrests were expected in the operation as well as five further people investigated, while 11 homes would be searched.

Spanish media said no arrests were made at the federation’s headquarters, where the Spanish national team is currently based ahead of upcoming friendlies against Colombia on Friday in England and Brazil on next Tuesday in Madrid.

“I had no idea about (the police operation), we trained as normal,” said Spain and Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.

The Spanish Super Cup took place for the first time in Saudi Arabia in 2020.

After the following edition returned to Spain because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the subsequent three competitions were back in Saudi Arabia.

Spanish prosecutors opened a probe in 2022 into the Super Cup deal after audio recordings between Rubiales and Piqué were leaked in which they spoke of multi-millions value commissions.

Rubiales has always defended the legality of the deal to take the Super Cup to the oil-rich Gulf state.

“If there is any type of commission, Kosmos will get it from Saudi Arabia — the federation has not paid, is not paying and will not pay a single euro in commission to anyone for this deal,” Rubiales said in 2022.

Former Barcelona and Spain defender Piqué said in April 2022 “everything is legal” and that he was “proud” of the deal.

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