Madrid. All the world champions, except two, considered this Friday that the changes made by the Spanish Federation (RFEF) are not enough to promote their return to the national team after the scandal of the non-consensual kiss between Luis Rubiales and Jenni Beautiful.
“Now, as we have passed on to the RFEF, the changes that have taken place are not enough for the players to feel a safe place, where women are respected, we are committed to women’s football and where we can provide of our highest performance,” said the statement, signed by 39 players.
The statement, released by the double winner of the Ballon d’Or and co-signer Alexia Putellas, comes almost at the same time that the new women’s coach Montse Tomé must give the list for the games in Nations League against Sweden and Switzerland.
The publication of the list was delayed, according to sources in the federation, after the statement that the signatures of world champions Athenea del Castillo and Claudia Zornoza were missing.
The players reiterated in their statement “their great dissatisfaction” with what happened at the medal ceremony of the World Cup when the former president of the RFEF, Luis Rubiales, forced Jenni Hermoso to kiss.
“In the face of these acts we must have zero tolerance for our partner, for ourselves and for all women,” the letter said.
The players reported several meetings with the RFEF where they explained “the changes we understand are fundamental to being able to continue and achieve a structure that does not allow or is not part of such destructive event.”
“We firmly believe that strong changes are needed in the leadership positions of the RFEF and, in particular, in the area of ​​women’s football,” the players insisted.
For this reason, they are asking for “a restructuring of the organizational chart of women’s football, restructuring of the presidential cabinet and general secretary, resignation of the RFEF president, restructuring of the communication and marketing area and restructuring of the integrity area .”
The players will thus ask, according to the press, for the resignation of the interim president of the RFEF, Pedro Rocha, who managed the team after the departure of Rubiales and who is seen to continue with him.
The signatories concluded by pointing out that “what fills us with the most pride is wearing the shirt of our team and always leading our country in the highest position,” but now “we believe it is time to fight to show that these situations and “Practices have no place in our football, nor in our society.”
