Latest news with #ex-RFEF
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Barcelona could file motion to suspend La Liga President Javier Tebas over infraction
Barcelona could file motion to suspend La Liga President Javier Tebas over infraction Barcelona President Joan Laporta delivered on last week's promise to respond to La Liga's public statement about their salary limit situation, as the Blaugrana released a forceful statement on their behaviour. The consequences may not end there either. Advertisement With the two institutions battling over the registration of Dani Olmo and Pau Victor, which La Liga appealed yesterday, Barcelona emitted a statement announcing they would be stepping back from La Liga's delegate commission. They also 'required' La Liga to halt public communication about the club's finances, and accused the league of inciting a campaign of misinformation against Barcelona. In their statement, they cite the breach of a confidentiality clause in La Liga's rules too. Photo by Marca Now, President of CENAFE (Centre for the Education of Coaches) Miguel Angel Galan has published on his social media account that Barcelona are considering filing for the suspension of La Liga President Javier Tebas as a result. The Administrative Tribunal for Sports have already fined Tebas for a previous infraction after a case was brought by Real Madrid. Galan continues on to say that as it was a second infraction against the sports law, it could result in Tebas' suspension from office should Barcelona file a motion against him. He also includes the fact that in previous cases, it resulted in the sacking of former Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) President Angel Maria Villar, the suspension of ex-RFEF President Luis Rubiales, and ex-interim President Pedro Rocha of the same organisation, at Galan's hand. Whether Barcelona do decide to go all out against Tebas is another matter. Despite frequent battles over their salary limit situation in recent years, relations between Laporta and Tebas are reportedly good, with each understanding that publicly the pair must defend their position. Should they decide to do so, Barcelona would no doubt take into account whom Tebas' successor is likely to be and what that might mean for their relations with La Liga going forward.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘In another country, I'd have a statue' – Gerard Pique on the verge of tears during Supercup trial
Former Barcelona and Spain star Gerard Pique today testified in court as part of the trial investigating the tender process regarding the Spanish Supercup. Pique's Kosmos company brokered the initial deal to take the Spanish Supercup to Saudi Arabia with the Middle Eastern country and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). Pique stands accused of fraud and corruption between businesses for his role in the deal, with Kosmos taking comissions of upwards of €10m over the contracts, €1.6m of which was paid to him this year. The Catalan star has defended his innocence in the matter, as has ex-RFEF President Luis Rubiales, who stands accused of the same charges. According to Relevo, Pique defended himself saying that the fact he was a Barcelona player at the time when the deal was done had no influence on the comissions that he earned from the deal. Sport say that he did admit to the fact that he called on Rubiales' for his help in receiving those comissions after Saudi Arabia did not pay initially. Their report assures that Pique was on the verge of tears during his testimony, and specifically requested to make a statement to the court. In a trembling voice, Pique explained that the case was doing 'enormous damage' to him and his reputation, and that he had secured the best contract possible for the RFEF. He also claimed that he did not deserve said damage, and that 'in another country, I would have a statue.'
New York Times
06-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Luis Rubiales case prosecutor requests retrial over claims of ‘partiality'
The prosecutor in the Luis Rubiales court case has officially requested a retrial after the initial proceedings were tarnished by 'the appearance of partiality', an appeal against the sentence has claimed. The former head of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) was found guilty of sexual assault last month and fined more than €10,000 ($11,400) after kissing Jenni Hermoso following the Women's World Cup final in 2023. Advertisement He was also restricted from going within 200 metres of Hermoso but avoided a custodial sentence. The prosecution had been seeking one year of jail time. Rubiales and three other RFEF employees — the former Spain women's coach Jorge Vilda, the former Newcastle United forward and ex-RFEF sporting director Albert Luque and former marketing director Ruben Rivera — were acquitted of the charge of coercion. The prosecution had alleged that the four men, who denied any wrongdoing, had pressured Hermoso into supporting Rubiales' version of events and had requested 18-month prison sentences if they were found guilty. Prosecutor Marta Durantez has filed an appeal against the sentence reached on February 20 and requested the 'nullity of the trial' citing six grounds for appeal. The prosecutor's office claims the 'judgement is null and void on the grounds of lack of defence and arbitrariness' and is now calling for a 'new judgement assessing the facts before the court, taking into account all the evidence admitted and adduced.' 'A declaration of a mistrial is sought with the consequent reinstatement of the proceedings so that a new trial can be held by another judge who is not tainted, at the very least, by the appearance of partiality,' the filing reads. Durantez's office also called on the court to 'revoke the sentence (and) impose on the defendant Luis Rubiales a sentence of one year's imprisonment' while also asking that the acquittals of Rubiales, Vilda, Luque and Rivera are also 'overturned and each of the defendants be sentenced to one year and six months' imprisonment.' Durantez's office also called on the court to 'revoke the sentence (and) impose on the defendant Luis Rubiales a sentence of one year's imprisonment' while also asking that the judgement regarding Rubiales, Vilda, Luque and Rivera is also 'overturned and each of the defendants be sentenced to one year and six months' imprisonment.' Advertisement Rubiales kissed Hermoso as the players received their winners' medals in Sydney on August 20, 2023. He claimed that the kiss was consensual while Hermoso has consistently said she did not give consent and testified to that effect in court. Rubiales and the three co-accused stood trial over a two-week period, as Judge Jose Manuel Clemente Fernandez-Prieto heard testimonies from Hermoso, her Spain team-mates, her family, her friends, the four defendants, the current head coach of the Spain women's team and a number of other employees at the RFEF. Both Hermoso and Rubiales had already signalled their intent to appeal the decision of the High Court to the criminal chamber of Spain's Audiencia Nacional. GO DEEPER The Rubiales-Hermoso court case revealed so much - and the story is not complete yet (Oscar Del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images)
New York Times
22-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Spain Women secure late victory over Belgium one day after Luis Rubiales verdict: ‘What we want is to win games'
Mariona Caldentey says Spain Women were glad to focus on winning again after producing a late comeback victory the day after the verdict of the Luis Rubiales trial. On Thursday, Rubiales, the former head of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), was fined more than €10,000 ($11,400) after being found guilty of sexual assault for kissing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso at the 2023 World Cup final. Advertisement On Friday, Spain scored two stoppage-time goals as they came from 2-0 down to beat Belgium 3-2 in the Women's Nations League. 'What we want is to win games,' midfielder Caldentey said. 'Obviously it's been a difficult few months for everyone. Now the sentence is out, everything's been said and done and we've come out to win and in the end we've done it.' During the two-week trial in February, Judge Jose Manuel Clemente Fernandez-Prieto heard testimonies from Hermoso and her Spain team-mates Irene Paredes, Alexia Putellas and Laia Codina. Hermoso was again not named in the squad for February's Nations League fixtures, while Putellas missed out through injury. Paredes played the full 90 minutes of Friday's win and fellow defender Codina was an unused substitute. Spain, reigning world champions and ranked second in the world, had trailed 2-0 to a Belgium side 19th in the FIFA rankings after 72 minutes in Valencia on Friday. The visitors led through goals from Mariam Toloba and Tessa Wullaert, before Claudia Pina halved the deficit with 13 minutes of normal time remaining. Lucia Garcia equalised in stoppage time before Cristina Martin-Prieto scored a 96th-minute winner. Speaking to Spanish media outlet TVE ahead of the fixture, Codina said: 'When this all started I knew I had to take the stand in four days, it was tough, but once you're there you just have to say what you saw despite how hard it is to relive what happened and knowing that Jenni suffered everything she suffered when you hear her at the trial after a success like that. 'The day after testifying I seemed like a different person to the previous three days. A weight had been lifted. When I got back from Madrid I had a match that afternoon. I was on the bench and I thought: 'I don't know if I'm ready to play'. Emotionally, everything that comes with it is difficult.' Advertisement Spain's High Court also banned Rubiales from going within 200 metres of Hermoso, and from communicating with her for one year. He was also ordered to pay a further €3,000 for moral damages and half of Hermoso's legal costs. Rubiales has appealed the decision. Since Rubiales kissed Hermoso as the players received their winners' medals in Sydney on August 20, 2023, he has maintained that the kiss was consensual. Hermoso has consistently maintained she did not give consent and testified to that effect in court. Rubiales and three other RFEF employees — the former Spain women's coach Jorge Vilda, the former Newcastle United forward and ex-RFEF sporting director Albert Luque and former marketing director Ruben Rivera — were also acquitted of the charge of coercion. Spain return to action against England at Wembley on Wednesday. After her side's Nations League draw with Portugal on Friday, England manager Sarina Wiegman said: 'I stand with the Spanish players and it's really sad they have this on their path. But there is also change in society and they have so much courage to stand for this and themselves and we stand in solidarity with them. It's just now we have (the) Nations League starting tonight, we are talking about this but we should be talking about the Spanish team and how good they are at football.' GO DEEPER Jenni Hermoso was not the victim people wanted her to be - we should be grateful to her for that ()
New York Times
20-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Jenni Hermoso was not the victim people wanted her to be – we should be grateful to her for that
The important thing about the sentencing of Luis Rubiales is not whether he will go to prison, or how many thousands of euros he will have to pay to compensate Jenni Hermoso, the World Cup-winning footballer he kissed without consent while the world was watching. The important thing is that it represents an end to the impunity of this powerful man who believed himself to be above the law. Advertisement Rubiales' sentencing provides a reminder that the law is, and should be, the same for everyone. Many will remember Hermoso for being 'the one who was kissed', rather than as the best striker the Spain women's national team has ever had. As an iconic player who has scored more goals for her country than any other woman in history and who played a vital role off the pitch, too, in transforming women's football in Spain. The superstar who, at the age of 33 and towards the end of her career, helped her country win its first Women's World Cup. She was humiliated in front of the watching world by Rubiales when the former head of the Spain Football Federation (RFEF) kissed her after she was handed her World Cup winner's medal on August 20, 2023. She will have to live with that forever. 'Since that day, my life has been on standby,' Hermoso said during her testimony in Rubiales' trial at Spain's High Court in Madrid in early February. Rubiales denied her the best day of her life and took away her freedom. The trial lasted two weeks. The judge delivered his verdict in less than one. Rubiales, 47, was found guilty of sexual assault but he and the three other co-accused — the former Spain women's head coach Jorge Vilda, the former Newcastle United forward and ex-RFEF sporting director Albert Luque and former marketing director Ruben Rivera — were acquitted of coercion. The prosecution alleged they had coerced Hermoso to agree with Rubiales' version of events. They denied any wrongdoing. In the written reasons for the verdict, the judge gave full credibility to Hermoso's testimony. The court statement said: 'There was no reason or motive for her to be untruthful in her narration of the facts with the sole purpose of harming Rubiales.' Rubiales has been fined more than €10,000 (£8,289; $11,400) and the ruling from Spain's High Court bans him from going within 200 metres of Hermoso and communicating with her for one year. He was also ordered to pay a further €3,000 for moral damages and half of Hermoso's legal costs. Advertisement In 2022, legislation was passed in Spain, referred to as the 'solo si es si' law ('only yes means yes'), stating sexual consent must be affirmative by acts that 'clearly express the will of the person' and that it cannot be assumed by default or through silence. The new law no longer distinguishes between 'abuse' or 'sexual assault', but it does distinguish between a wide range of offences by also establishing that violence or intimidation is not necessary to commit a sexual assault. That means a new range of sentences that now go from four to 12 years, whereas before it was from six to 12. Although criticised by some as it meant sentences already handed down would be reviewed and reduced, feminist organisations consulted by The Athletic said what the victim often needs was for someone to believe them, rather than a greater or lesser sentence. The judge's verdict on Thursday was the equivalent of an 'I believe you' to Hermoso — in the most public of settings, and one that will be reported and broadcast across the globe. Rubiales was not sent to prison, but what is important to Hermoso is that she can finally feel like people believe her. The trial leaves us with many things to think about, one being the repeated revictimisation of the victim in court. When cross-examining Hermoso, the defence lawyers focused on the player's behaviour after Rubiales sexually assaulted her. They wanted the perfect victim, one who refused to celebrate a World Cup because of what had happened. One who couldn't laugh or who couldn't party. They wanted a victim who just cried in the corner for something that was not her fault. In her testimony to the judge on the first day of the trial, Hermoso was impressive. She showed herself to be the strong person anyone who has met her or followed her career knows that she is, and she portrayed an imperfect victim, certainly in the eyes of the defence lawyers. She was a victim who, despite what had happened, could enjoy her professional success — that she and her team-mates had been crowned champions of the world. GO DEEPER Jenni Hermoso: Record goalscorer, serial swearer and icon of Spanish sport Hermoso did not cower in front of her aggressor in court. She had the option of testifying without Rubiales in the courtroom, but she said no. She sat down metres away from her attacker to give her statement and to answer questions from his lawyer, Olga Tubau. She even maintained her concentration and kept her cool on the multiple occasions Rubiales was whispering and commenting while she was talking. Advertisement 'I don't have to be crying in a room or throwing myself to the ground when the act happens to imply that I didn't like it (the kiss),' Hermoso told the court. 'At that moment, when I'm celebrating being world champion, drinking alcohol and eating, I'm happy and smiling because it's the greatest achievement I can get in my life.' Society often looks for the perfect victim, the one who acts the way everyone wants them to act. The aggressor may make mistakes, they are a human being. But the victim must act like a victim or they will be publicly discredited. If this trial has taught us that a woman can be sexually assaulted and behave however she wants afterwards and still be considered a victim, then we should be eternally grateful to Jenni Hermoso for that. The courage she has shown will help those victims who follow.
