MADRID: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday blasted as “insufficient” the apology given by Spain’s football federation chief for kissing star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips.

After Spain won the Women’s World Cup Football Federation chief Luis Rubiales, 45, kissed Hermoso as he handed the Spanish team their gold medals after they beat England 1-0 in the final on Sunday in Sydney, provoking outrage in Spain. He kissed other players on the cheek or embraced them.

“What we saw was an unacceptable gesture,” the Socialist premier told a news conference when asked about the outcry over the unsolicited kiss.

“I also think the apologies given by Mr. Rubiales are insufficient. And I even think that they are inappropriate, and that he must go further,” added Sanchez, whose government has pushed through tougher laws on sexual consent and harassment.

As the controversy over the kiss grew, Rubiales apologised on Monday in a video posted on social media.

“It was done without any ill intention in a moment of the highest exuberance. Here we saw it as natural and normal but outside it has caused a commotion.

“I have no choice but to apologise and to learn from this... and when representing the federation take more care,” he said, adding that he thought the furore was “idiotic”.

Rubiales also stressed that he had a “magnificent relationship” with Hermoso.

On Sunday, the 33-year-old player posted a video on Instagram showing the celebrations in the changing room in which she responded to teasing from team-mates by saying: “I didn’t like it, eh!” while laughing.

She later downplayed the incident in a statement released by the federation, saying it was “a totally spontaneous mutual gesture because of the immense joy that winning a World Cup brings”.

“The president and I have a great relationship. His behaviour with all of us has been outstanding and it was a natural gesture of affection and gratitude,” she added, according to the federation statement.

Video footage circulated online after the match also showed Rubiales, who was sitting in the VIP area of the stadium near Spain’s Queen Letizia and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, grab his groin as he celebrated the final whistle.

Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz had on Monday called for Rubiales’ resignation, saying “his excuses do not work at all”, while Equality Minister Irene Montero said a non-consensual kiss is “a kind of sex violence all women suffer daily”.

“It is very simple. Two people kiss if they both want to, if there is consent. Only yes is yes,” Montero added on social media platform X, which was formerly called Twitter.

Sanchez appointed a government with a record number of 11 women in 17 cabinet posts when he took office in 2018.

“The 21st century should be — I am convinced it will be — the century of women on all fronts,” he said earlier on Tuesday at a reception for Spain’s winning team.

“I believe women’s football, women’s sport, has a brilliant future, all we can say as representatives of Spanish society is that Spain is proud of you, of what you achieved.”

Rubiales was also at the reception and received a frosty greeting from Sanchez.

Published in Dawn, August 23th, 2023