The former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Luis Rubiales defended that the controversy raised by his kiss to the player Jenni Hermoso is "a snowball" fueled by "spurious interests" against him, and refused to apologize to the soccer player. Furthermore, he has pointed out that, if it had been the men's team that had won the title, "they would have done the same thing."
"I have no doubts," he reaffirmed during the exclusive interview he gave to British journalist Piers Morgan on the Talk TV channel in which he announced his resignation - announced last Sunday - and broadcast in full today.
Despite his statements, the former president of the RFEF did not celebrate in the same way with the players of the men's team when they managed to win the Nations League.
Rubiales also maintained his version that his "peak" to Hermoso was the result of a moment of euphoria and had no sexual connotations.
Not only has he criticized the non-consensual kiss during the interview, but he has also accused the players of supposedly inappropriate behavior. "There are players who catch me from everywhere," the former president of the RFEF has come to criticize. "I don't give them permission, but we are in a celebration. I am not going to classify myself as a victim, what I am not is an executioner"
"I think it has been a snowball, due to various interests, some of them spurious, against me," he said, without explaining what interests he was referring to.
In the interview, the former president of the RFEF compared his reaction to what people may have when they win the lottery or what the inhabitants of Ukraine will have when the war in their country ends.
"At that moment, people don't ask for permission," Rubiales said, defending that his gesture was spontaneous and the result of euphoria, even though it was a "mistake."
Four times, despite the interviewer's insistence, the former federation president avoided asking Hermoso for forgiveness.
"What happened is bad for everyone. And I repeat that I was there, it was a fleeting kiss in a context of joy," Rubiales responded again and again, calling what happened an "anecdote."
"I have my version, if other people change their version it is not my business," he emphasized.
Rubiales unexpectedly announced his resignation on Sunday night, through a statement on social networks that came out simultaneously with a preview of his interview with Morgan.
The resigned federation official was summoned today by the judge of the National Court Francisco de Jorge to declare himself under investigation in the open case for sexual assault for the kiss he gave to Hermoso after the World Cup final.
Rubiales kissed the player after grabbing her head with both hands during the medal presentation to the Spanish soccer team after it won the world champion title against England.
He justified his act by saying that in Latin countries there is a "tactile relationship" between men and women, and that it is "very normal" for these acts to occur.
"Just before the kiss, she picked me up and didn't ask me" to do it, said Rubiales, who highlighted that the player "grabbed" him on the podium.
He also referred to the gesture of grabbing his private parts in the box, next to Queen Letizia, to celebrate the victory.
"This gesture makes me more ashamed internally, but I want to explain that in Spanish we have the expression 'ole your eggs' or 'ole tus ovaries', which means 'bravo, very good'. When the match ended, (the coach, Jorge ) Vilda looked at me saying 'this is for you', and I told her 'no, no, this is for you', she said.
For Rubiales, it was "an affectionate gesture, very crude, but affectionate", for which he has already apologized to the Royal Family.
