The provisional suspension of Luis Rubiales ordered this Saturday by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee leaves the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in charge of the deputy vice president, Pedro Rocha Junco, also president for ten years of the Extremadura Federation and sole vice president in office after the removal of all others by the president.
This is established by the RFEF statutes and on which the RFEF itself has reported in a statement. Point 7 of article 31 of the statutes refers to the president and establishes that "in cases of absence, illness or any other cause that temporarily prevents him from performing his duties, the president will be replaced by the vice-presidents, in their order; in the absence of them, by the treasurer and, ultimately, by the most senior member of the Board of Directors, or by the oldest if it were the same".
The same statement echoes the position of the until now president of the RFEF in these terms: "Luis Rubiales has stated that he will legally defend himself in the competent bodies, he fully trusts the FIFA instances and reiterates that, in this way, You are given the opportunity to begin your defense so that the truth prevails and your complete innocence is proven."
After yesterday's day, the only vice president of the RFEF at the moment is Pedro Rocha, a manager considered to be close to Rubiales, who has been in charge of La Extremeña since 2013 and who became vice president of the RFEF in May 2018.
Born in Cáceres (1955), Rocha is a businessman with a long history related to regional football, from his beginnings as a futsal player in the Division of Honor and coach, through his time as a club director until his election as president. of the Extremadura Football Federation in 2013.
His sports resume also includes his stage as manager and member of the technical staff of C.P. Cacereño, the vice presidency of C. Cacereño Malpartida and his belonging to the technical staff of C.P. Dawn, which achieved promotion to the Third Division.
Before becoming president of the Extremadura Federation in July 2013, he was its provincial delegate in Cáceres and vice president and president of the Futsal Committee between 2008 and 2011.
He was also a director of the RFEF National Futsal Committee and on May 23, 2022 he was appointed president of the Mutualidad de Futbolistas.
FIFA confirmed this Saturday that the president of its Disciplinary Committee, the Colombian Jorge Iván Palacio, has decided on the "provisional suspension" of the president of the Spanish Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, "from all activities related to football at the national level and international".
"This suspension, which will be effective as of today, extends for an initial period of ninety days and as long as the disciplinary procedure opened by this Disciplinary Commission against Mr. Luis Rubiales on Thursday, August 24, is processed." .
FIFA announced two days ago the opening of disciplinary proceedings against him based on the events that occurred during the women's World Cup final on Sunday August 20, in which Spain won the title against England, since they could constitute violations of articles 13.1 and 13.2 of its Disciplinary Code.
The suspension announced today comes 24 hours after Luis Rubiales announced at the RFEF Ordinary General Assembly, held in Las Rozas (Madrid), that he was not going to resign, after justifying what happened in the final of the Women's World Cup, in the who, in the box, put his hands to his genitals at the end of the match and at the medal ceremony he kissed the player Jenni Hermoso on the mouth.
