LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) UEFA has dismissed the Spanish Football Association’s (RFEF) unusual appeal to have La Liga teams ousted from the organization in relation to the Luis Rubiales controversy.
Following the incident involving the president’s kiss with Jenni Hermoso after the World Cup final, the RFEF sent a letter to UEFA on Friday, urging the expulsion of La Liga teams due to government intervention.
The RFEF argued that the Spanish government’s involvement in the Rubiales case breaches UEFA rules on governmental interference in national football governing bodies.
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Rubiales, who serves as UEFA’s vice-president, was suspended by FIFA after the incident. Hermoso clarified that she did not give her consent to the kiss, prompting prosecutors to initiate a criminal investigation into the president’s actions.
The Spanish government, in response, sought the suspension of Rubiales through Spain’s Sports Tribunal (TAD).
Reports suggest that Rubiales and RFEF general secretary Andreu Camps may have intended to employ the prospect of Spanish teams’ expulsion from European competitions—such as the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League—as leverage to deter the Spanish government from ousting Rubiales.
However, it’s been reported that UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has rejected this request, signaling a symbolic distancing from Rubiales, who holds a vice-president position within UEFA.
In tandem with UEFA’s stance, Victor Francos, president of Spain’s Higher Sports Council (CSD), assured Spanish clubs that the government’s actions are in line with existing regulations and that there’s no risk to their participation across various categories.