The mother of embattled Spanish football federation (RFEF) president, Luis Rubiales, has locked herself in a church and said she was on hunger strike in protest to her son’s treatment, Rubiales’ cousin confirmed on Monday.
Ángeles Béjar shut herself inside the church of the Divine Shepherdess in Rubiales’ hometown of Motril, Andalusia, on Monday, EFE reported.
She said her protest would continue until the “inhuman, bloodthirsty witch-hunt which my son is being subjected to” came to an end.
Rubiales was handed a provisional 90-day suspension from all football-related activities by FIFA on Friday while Spain’s Supreme Sports Council was also seeking to have him removed from office over his behaviour after Spain’s Women’s World Cup final victory, including his unsolicited kiss on Spain player Jenni Hermoso.
Rubiales has refused to resign over the issue, insisting that the kiss was consensual – a claim denied by the female player – threatening legal action against Hermoso and her union, FUTPRO.
Béjar told EFE her protest would continue “indefinitely, day and night” until Rubiales was vindicated.
She added: “There is no sexual abuse since there is consent on both sides, as the images prove … My son is incapable of hurting anyone.”
The news agency reported that she had locked herself inside the church in Motril – a town with a population of around 60,000, in the province of Granada – with her sister, after its priest had left.
Rubiales’ cousin, Vanessa Ruiz Béjar, confirmed to Teledeporte that his mother was on hunger strike, saying: “This is very hard. To say that there is harassment is not fair.
“That his mom, who is a person of great faith, has taken refuge in God and is on a hunger strike and does not want to leave the church. That his family is suffering very much on his behalf. It is not fair what is happening.
“He has been judged ahead of time and he should be left in peace. We want Jenni to tell the truth. Why has she changed her story three times? Our family has been harassed. This woman should tell the truth. Jenni, you should tell the truth. We want Jenni to tell the truth.
“The way they are treating him, the aggression, the feminists, the television, it seems shameful to me. All the people who are taking advantage of the situation, it is shameful.”
A friendly football match dubbed the “Friends of Rubiales” which was supposed to take place in Motril and feature the RFEF president was cancelled on Saturday, with the local town hall citing fears over public order.
Rubiales’ conduct and subsequent refusal to accept responsibility for his action has drawn widespread condemnation – both within Spain and internationally from football clubs, players and politicians.
Spain’s Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz said on Monday male chauvinism was “systemic” in the country and had been shown in its worst form.
Díaz, who is also deputy prime minister and head of the far-left Sumar coalition, called for social attitudes to change more generally in Spain and for victims of sexual harassment and violence to be better protected.
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