Spanish FA chief Luis Rubiales’ mother locks herself inside a church and goes on HUNGER STRIKE to stop ‘inhumane’ treatment of her son – and tells Jenni Hermoso ‘tell the truth’ amid his kiss-gate suspension
- Angeles Bejar has locked herself inside the Divina Pastora church in Motril
- Rubiales’ mother has started a hunger strike in protest at treatment of him
- Spanish football chief refused to resign amid furore over Jenni Hermoso kiss
The mother of shamed Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales has locked herself inside a church and gone on hunger strike in support of her son.
Angeles Bejar demanded an end to the ‘inhumane witch-hunt’ after he kissed Spain player Jenni Hermoso on the lips following their Women’s World Cup triumph.
Rubiales refused to stand down as president of the Spanish football federation but has been provisionally suspended by world football’s governing body FIFA.
Bejar, a former hairdresser, has locked herself in the Divina Pastora church in Motril, east of Malaga in southern Spain, and started an ‘indefinite, day and night’ hunger strike until ‘justice is served.’
Bejar, who is in the church alongside her sister, demanded that Hermoso ‘tell the truth’ after the player insisted the kiss wasn’t consensual, in contrast to Rubiales’ account.
The mother of Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales (left), Angeles Bejar, has gone on hunger strike in a church in protest at what she describes as the ‘inhumane witch-hunt’ against her son
Inside the Divina Pastora church in Motril where the mother of shamed Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales has gone on hunger strike over his ‘inhumane’ treatment
Rubiales refused to resign despite outrage after he kissed Spanish player Jenni Hermoso
Angeles Bejar has locked herself in the church in the southern Spanish town of Motril
The Spanish Football Federation president Rubiales refused to resign amid outrage after he kissed Spain player Jenni Hermoso
She asked ‘why are they being so cruel to him’ and ‘what is behind the story’ since ‘he is incapable of harming anyone.’
Rubiales grew up in Motril, in the Andalucia region, and visited there for a holiday over the weekend. Angeles’ husband is the resort’s former mayor.
It comes as the Spanish football federation holds another urgent meeting over Rubiales.
In a stunning press conference on Friday, Rubiales refused to stand down as head of the Spanish FA as he lashed out at ‘false feminism’ for a ‘social murder’ of his reputation.
Rubiales sparked outrage after he kissed Hermoso on the mouth as she stepped up to receive her medal following Spain’s 1-0 win.
Footage also emerged that showed Rubiales grabbing his crotch while standing near Queen Letizia of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter Princess Infanta Sofia – behaviour he apologised for.
Hermoso has been threatened with legal action by the Spanish football federation after she said she didn’t consent to the kiss and disputed Rubiales’ version of events.
Rubiales sparked more outrage after footage emerged of him grabbing his crotch while celebrating Spain’s win in the vicinity of Spanish Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter
In an odd speech at an RFEF meeting on Friday, he refused to quit and blasted ‘false feminists’
Rubiales also carried Spanish player Athenea del Castillo Beivide during the celebrations
Rubiales embraces Spanish player Aitana Bonmati during the presentation ceremony
Rubiales hugs Alba Redondo amid Spain’s celebrations after winning the Women’s World Cup
Rubiales claimed that Hermoso ‘lifted me up’ during the celebrations and agreed to ‘a little kiss’. ‘The kiss was the same I could give one of my daughters,’ Rubiales added.
He was provisionally suspended by FIFA ‘from all football-related activities at national and international level’ with disciplinary proceedings opened against the 46-year-old.
81 Spanish players – including all 23 who went to the Women’s World Cup – have announced they will not represent their country until Rubiales is removed from his position.
The Spanish FA (RFEF)’s interim president Pedro Rocha has called an ‘extraordinary and urgent’ meeting ‘to evaluate the situation in which the federation finds itself’ after Rubiales’ suspension, an RFEF spokesperson said on Sunday.
Left-wing Spanish politicians who branded it ‘sexual violence’ when footage of the kiss first emerged are now being supported by mainstream commentators in condemning what happened.
The England Women’s football team and male players like Andres Iniesta have also criticised Rubiales, who was expected to resign on Friday before insisting he would fight attempts to oust him.