Topline
Angeles Bejar, the mother of disgraced Spanish soccer federation chief Luis Rubiales, was hospitalized Wednesday following a multi-day hunger strike protesting the “inhumane treatment” of her son who is facing widespread calls to step down following his nonconsensual kiss of a soccer player on Spain’s women’s national team.
Angeles Bejar, the mother of disgraced Spanish soccer federation chief Luis Rubiales, was … [+]
Key Facts
Bejar was hospitalized Wednesday because of the high temperatures inside the church she locked herself in earlier in the week, the parish priest of the Divina Pastora parish, where Bejar had been protesting, told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
Bejar and her sister locked themselves inside a church located in southern Spain on Monday, with Reuters reporting that Bejar intended to remain on an “indefinite” hunger strike until the end of the “inhuman and bloody hunt” against her son.
Rubiales reportedly spoke with his mother and urged her to leave the church located in the soccer chief’s hometown of Motril, Spain.
The priest told El Mundo that Bejar’s “feet were swollen and she was tired,” adding that she was “uncomfortable.”
A mattress was brought into the church Wednesday to allow Bejar to sleep more comfortably, El Mundo reported.
Key Background
Following the women’s World Cup final on August 20, where Spain defeated England 2-1, Rubiales kissed Jennifer Hermoso, one of Spain’s players, on the lips. Hermoso released a lengthy statement last week saying that she “felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-driven sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part.” The kiss prompted immediate condemnation from soccer organizations, players and fans. On Monday, Spanish prosecutors launched a sex abuse investigation into Rubiales. On Saturday, FIFA suspended the Spanish soccer head from all soccer-related activities at both the national and international level for 90 days, pending an investigation into the incident. Some reports last week said Rubiales planned to resign, but on Friday when he spoke at an emergency general assembly of the federation he passionately said that he would not back down and claimed he was the victim of a witch hunt by “false feminists.” In addition to Spain’s Prosecutors Office, multiple entities have announced investigations into Rubiales’ behavior, including Liga F, the Spanish women’s professional football league, and FIFA.
Further Reading
Luis Rubiales: Prosecutors Open Sex Abuse Investigation Into Spanish Soccer Head (Forbes)
Spain Women’s Soccer Team Will Refuse To Play Until Soccer Chief Resigns For Kissing Player (Forbes)
Spanish Soccer Chief Won’t Resign After Kissing Player—Attacks ‘False Feminists’ (Forbes)
Spanish Soccer Head Faces Formal Complaint For Kissing Player After Women’s World Cup Win (Forbes)
Luis Rubiales’s Actions Shed Light On Abusive Culture In Women’s Soccer (Forbes)
Spanish Federation Chief Luis Rubiales’ Mother Is On A Hunger Strike; Spanish Clubs In Danger (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/08/30/luis-rubiales-mother-hospitalized-following-hunger-strike-report-says/