“(We) decided today to provisionally suspend Mr. Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level,” said world football’s governing body in a statement, explaining it would last 90 days, pending their disciplinary proceedings.

This came after the Spanish football federation (RFEF) on Saturday threatened to take legal action over Women’s World Cup player Jenni Hermoso’s “lies” about her kiss with its president Luis Rubiales.

The RFEF and Rubiales said they would “demonstrate each of the lies that have been spread, whether in the name of the player, if that is the case, or by the player herself”.

It would take “as many legal actions as necessary to defend the honour of the President of the RFEF.”

On Friday, Spanish midfielder Jenni Hermoso joined a mass strike of female players after saying she did not consent to being kissed by the country’s football federation chief Luis Rubiales after Spain’s victory in the Women’s World Cup final.

In a statement released by women players’ union Futpro, Hermoso and 80 other players said they would not accept an international call-up “if the current leadership continues” at the Spanish football federation (RFEF).

Rubiales, 46, defied expectations by refusing to resign at an emergency RFEF meeting earlier Friday.

The chief said in a fiery speech that his kiss on Hermoso’s lips during the World Cup final medal ceremony on Sunday was “mutual, euphoric and consensual” and she had said “OK” when he asked her if he could give her “a peck”.

He also asserted that “she was the one who lifted me in her arms and brought me close to her body”.

However Hermoso hit back strongly against his claims later Friday, saying she felt “vulnerable and the victim of an assault”.

Official Announcement. August 25th,2023. pic.twitter.com/lQb18IGsk2

— Jenn1 Hermos0 (@Jennihermoso) August 25, 2023

“I want to clarify that at no time did I consent to the kiss that he gave me and in no case did I seek to lift up the president,” Hermoso said in the Futpro statement.

“I do not tolerate my word being questioned and much less that they invent words that I did not say.”

The RFEF published a series of images on their website attempting to demonstrate that Hermoso did in fact lift up Rubiales, as “the first demonstration that the facts exposed by Mr. President are absolutely true”.

Their threat of legal action appeared targeted at not just Hermoso and Futpro, but anybody who may have damaged “the president’s honourability”.

Change

Futpro said in the statement that every player signing it, which included the 23 World Cup winners, were taking a stand to force change.

“It fills us with sadness that such an unacceptable event is succeeding in tarnishing the greatest sporting success of Spanish women’s football,” it read.

“We wish to declare that all the players signing this document will not return to a national team squad if the current leadership continues.”

Before the World Cup 15 players had taken a similar stance against the federation and coach Jorge Vilda, but many relented and three were part of the team’s triumph in Australia and New Zealand.

Many players, including double Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, had written messages of support for Hermoso on social media, some including the phrase “it’s over” — potentially referring to Rubiales’ leadership of Spanish football.

Now Putellas, Hermoso, player of the tournament Aitana Bonmati and many other players say they will not play for Spain again until Rubiales and potentially others leave their posts.

The federation also appeared to send a thinly veiled threat to the striking players.

“The RFEF respects, as it has always respected, the decisions of the players who wish to participate or not with the Spanish national team in international matches, although it is clear national team duty is an obligation for all federated persons if they are called up,” the RFEF added in their statement. 

Rubiales had said he was planning on renewing controversial coach Vilda’s contract and hiking his salary, during his speech.

The Spanish government have started a process which may allow them to suspend Rubiales from his post.

Hermoso published a separate statement on her own social media accounts which went into depth.

“(Rubiales’ words are) part of the manipulative culture that he himself has generated,” wrote Hermoso.

“I am sure that as a world champions we do not deserve a culture which is so manipulative, hostile and controlling,” she continued.

“This type of incident joins a long list of situations that us players have been reporting in the last few years … this is just the straw that broke the camel’s back and all the world was able to see it.

“Attitudes like this have been part of the day to day of our national team for years.”

Hermoso’s words and the player strike came in the wake of Rubiales’ defiant speech and refusal to bow to the immense pressure against him.

‘I will not resign’

“I will not resign, I will not resign, I will not resign,” shouted Rubiales at the RFEF meeting.

Rubiales said the pressure he has received this week was an attempt “to publicly assassinate me”, with Vilda and others applauding his words.

Rubiales said he had been “hunted” since taking the job in May 2018, while insisting his kiss could not be compared to sexual assault.

“For god’s sake, what will women think who have really been sexually assaulted?” said Rubiales.

Before the vast majority of Spain’s most talented players decided to strike, politicians and other figures criticised Rubiales.

“What we have seen today at the federation assembly is unacceptable,” wrote second deputy prime minister Yolanda Díaz on social network X, formerly known as Twitter.

“The government must act and take urgent measures: impunity for macho actions is over.”

The country’s High Council of Sport (CSD) said it would move against Rubiales.

It promised to submit complaints it had received about the incident to the Spanish Sports Court (TAD).

“I think that this could be the ‘Me Too’ of Spanish football,” CSD president Victor Francos told a news conference, explaining he would be able to suspend Rubiales if TAD decides to initiate proceedings against him next week.