I was horrified as footage emerged (Picture: Noe Llamas/SPP/Shutterstock)
#SeAcabó. It’s Spanish for ‘it’s over’.
The phrase is all over social media, and has been scrawled across t-shirts since Spain won the Women’s World Cup final last week – even those of Sevilla’s men’s football team.
It feels like the country’s #MeToo moment, and for good reason.
See, the Spain womens’ incredible achievement has been overshadowed by the actions of one 46-year-old man, Luis Rubiales. Ruibales is the powerful President of the Spanish football federation, who roughly kissed a player on the lips allegedly without consent, for the whole world to see.
A man who has since refused to accept the consequences of his sexist actions. That he replaced the team’s pride with an act that truly showed the imbalance of power between him and the players.
I watched the World Cup final in awe, and in agony. While I was gutted for the Lionesses, Spain are worthy winners, but their achievements have been ruined by Rubiales. Tainted.
In a stormy press conference, Rubiales refused to resign (Picture: AP)
Though I slammed my laptop shut in misery after the final whistle blew, it wasn’t long before I saw clips from the awards ceremony on social media.
I was horrified as footage emerged of Rubiales firmly grabbing midfielder Jenni Hermoso by the head with both hands – a move that makes anyone feel vulnerable, as you cannot escape – and kissing her on the lips.
I saw that his body was pressed tightly against hers. Too close, it seemed, for comfort to be professional – or even friendly.
At first my instinct was to make excuses for it, like every woman who has been sexually harassed probably does, thinking it was a cultural difference between stuffy Brits and more liberal Europeans.
But then more footage emerged.
More footage emerged – images of Rubiales carrying women in shorts over his shoulder; embracing them in bear hugs just that little too tightly(Picture: AFP)
Images of Rubiales carrying women in shorts over his shoulder; embracing them in bear hugs just that little too tightly.
His hands wrapped tightly around their waists as he kissed them. Grabbing his crotch in front of female Royals – one a teenager – as Spain beat England.
It dawned on me that Hermoso had experienced the same sexual microaggressions as me – that she probably has for years. The same as every woman.
It reminded me of every interaction I’ve had with dangerous men who believe their sex to be better. Men who believe it’s their right to leer, to wolf whistle, at me in the street. The gropers in clubs who thought they had a right to my body. The bosses who think sex jokes and a macho attitude is acceptable.
As of this weekend, Fifa has suspended Rubiales from any football-related activities for 90 days, pending an investigation into the incident – but he’s not going down without a fight.
Spain’s acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, called the kiss an ‘unacceptable gesture’
The Spanish football federation accused Hermoso of lying when she said she didn’t consent to the kiss – threatening legal action against her.
Rubiales repeatedly refused to resign in a stormy press conference on Friday, indicating he was part of a witch hunt with his critics supposedly ‘preparing an execution’ – calling the world’s reaction ‘false feminism’.
When I heard him refer to the kiss as a ‘consensual peck’ – it reminded me of the gaslighting countless victims of sexual microaggressions have been subjected to.
It was also grim to see men in the audience applaud Rubiales’ intransigence, but the global reaction has been cheering.
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England defender Jess Carter said the kiss had ‘tarnished’ the team’s success, labelling it ‘one of the most disrespectful things you can do.’
And, 81 female players from Spain are on strike from playing for their country – even Borja Iglesias, who has been capped twice by the men’s team in the last year, is refusing to return to international duty until justice is served.
Almost all of the coaching and technical staff for Spain’s women’s team have also handed in their resignation, alongside seven members of the Spanish football federation.
The President of the Spain women’s football committee also quit, while Spain’s acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, called the kiss an ‘unacceptable gesture’, echoing comments made by the acting equality minister, Irene Montero, who called it a ‘form of sexual violence.’
I agree with her.
Sadly, men in power will always triumph because they seem to believe women are lesser. That they own the achievements of talented women, as if they are owed a favour. That women are indebted to men; that men allowed us to step into their world – but for a price.
It’s exhausting and humiliating to live this way.
Rubiales will probably go. He’ll have to (Picture: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
It appears football, even women’s football will always be a man’s game, unless this abuse of power is dealt with. Until women and men are treated as equals.
Rubiales will probably go. He’ll have to. He’ll be forced out as a disaster for the sport and the country. A disgrace, and detriment to his country’s success – but what next?
How long have abuses of power in sport been hiding behind closed doors?
Women – in sports, and out – have faced deeply-rooted systemic sexism for far too long. It needs a complete overhaul, not a knee jerk reaction that sees just one man lose his job.
Today, as people across Spain are expected to continue to take to the streets in protest, Spain’s heroes are its women; the sisterhood who are enraged that it takes another abuse of power, an act of trauma, for them to be recognised as worthy voices.
Spain’s women’s team hasn’t just been crowned World Champions, but the catalyst for much-needed, long-sought change.
#SeAcabó, for good.
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It appears football, even women’s football will always be a man’s game, unless this abuse of power is dealt with.