Spanish FA chief hugs World Cup winning goal-scorer Olga Carmona as the team returns to Madrid - after he was forced to apologise for kissing a player on the lips
- 8 months ago
Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales was spotted pulling Spain's World Cup-winning goal-scorer Olga Carmona hours into an embrace just a day after she found out her father had died over the weekend.
Rubiales, 45, was spotted hugging the top-flight defender as La Roja landed back in Madrid on Monday night, a day after Spain's women's team took the World Cup home for the first time.
Carmona, 23, only learned of her father's death after the final on Sunday.
While he passed away last Friday, her family reportedly decided not to tell her so that she could wholly focus on the match.
Rubiales' and Carmona's embrace comes after the Spanish FA boss was forced to apologize for kissing player Jenni Hermoso following his country's Women's World Cup final win over England in Australia.
The football chief had faced a wave of criticism and resignation calls after planting the unsolicited kiss on Jenni's lips following the match.
In a video address published after leading politicians said he should quit or apologize, Rubiales admitted he had made a mistake.
He started the video by saying the Spanish team had achieved a 'historic feat' and it was one of the 'happiest' days for Spanish football.
But he added: 'There is also something I regret and it's over something that happened between a female player and myself who enjoy a magnificent relationship the same as I have with other women players.
'I've no doubt made a mistake and I have to admit it.'
He continued: 'At a moment of maximum excitement, without any bad intention or bad faith, what happened in a very spontaneous manner, I repeat without bad faith on either side.
'We didn't understand really what occurred afterward because we saw it as something normal and natural but it has caused controversy in some sectors and some people appear to have been upset and therefore I have to apologize.
'Moreover, I have to learn from this and understand that when someone presides over an institution as important as the Spanish FA he has to take more care in events like ceremonies.'
Defending his initial reaction in the wake of the controversy, when he branded the people who had criticized the kiss as 'idiots', and admitted he was saddened because it had tainted the historic Spanish victory, he continued: 'Within the Spanish FA no-one lent the slightest importance to this but outside it seems they have.
'I also want to apologize to those people because if people have been affected outside, they will no doubt have their reasons.'
Rubiales made his public apology as he faced resignation calls over his controversial post-Women's World Cup celebrations which included giving player Jenni Hermoso an unwanted kiss on the lips.
The 45-year-old had been accused of committing 'sexual violence' overnight by Spain's acting Equality Minister Irene Montero for the unsolicited smacker following the country's 1-0 win against England.
He initially laughed it off as a 'peck on the lips between two friends celebrating some
Rubiales, 45, was spotted hugging the top-flight defender as La Roja landed back in Madrid on Monday night, a day after Spain's women's team took the World Cup home for the first time.
Carmona, 23, only learned of her father's death after the final on Sunday.
While he passed away last Friday, her family reportedly decided not to tell her so that she could wholly focus on the match.
Rubiales' and Carmona's embrace comes after the Spanish FA boss was forced to apologize for kissing player Jenni Hermoso following his country's Women's World Cup final win over England in Australia.
The football chief had faced a wave of criticism and resignation calls after planting the unsolicited kiss on Jenni's lips following the match.
In a video address published after leading politicians said he should quit or apologize, Rubiales admitted he had made a mistake.
He started the video by saying the Spanish team had achieved a 'historic feat' and it was one of the 'happiest' days for Spanish football.
But he added: 'There is also something I regret and it's over something that happened between a female player and myself who enjoy a magnificent relationship the same as I have with other women players.
'I've no doubt made a mistake and I have to admit it.'
He continued: 'At a moment of maximum excitement, without any bad intention or bad faith, what happened in a very spontaneous manner, I repeat without bad faith on either side.
'We didn't understand really what occurred afterward because we saw it as something normal and natural but it has caused controversy in some sectors and some people appear to have been upset and therefore I have to apologize.
'Moreover, I have to learn from this and understand that when someone presides over an institution as important as the Spanish FA he has to take more care in events like ceremonies.'
Defending his initial reaction in the wake of the controversy, when he branded the people who had criticized the kiss as 'idiots', and admitted he was saddened because it had tainted the historic Spanish victory, he continued: 'Within the Spanish FA no-one lent the slightest importance to this but outside it seems they have.
'I also want to apologize to those people because if people have been affected outside, they will no doubt have their reasons.'
Rubiales made his public apology as he faced resignation calls over his controversial post-Women's World Cup celebrations which included giving player Jenni Hermoso an unwanted kiss on the lips.
The 45-year-old had been accused of committing 'sexual violence' overnight by Spain's acting Equality Minister Irene Montero for the unsolicited smacker following the country's 1-0 win against England.
He initially laughed it off as a 'peck on the lips between two friends celebrating some