Spanish Women Players Spotlight Crisis of Abuse

All Players Deserve Harassment-Free Work Environment

When Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales refused to step down after kissing Spanish football player and 2023 World Cup champion Jenni Hermoso without her consent, he instead justified his actions. In a speech to the general assembly of the Spanish Football Federation, Rubiales centered himself as the victim, blamed “false feminism” for committing a “social assassination” against him, and shouted five times: “I will not resign!”

Rubiales’ obliviousness to sexual abuse and workplace harassment should finally force FIFA, football’s governing body, to do what it has long failed to do: address the culture of sexual violence and gender discrimination in women’s football.

Shockingly, there are sexual abuse complaints against at least twenty of FIFA’s 211 national federations

Beyond Rubiales’ personal responsibility for his actions, FIFA, and all football associations have an institutional responsibility to stop violence and harassment of women players. It took FIFA almost a week to suspend Rubiales for 90 days. In the meantime, the Spanish Football Federation pressured Hermoso to back Rubiales, and when she denied the kiss was consensual, the federation threatened her with legal actions.

It is not uncommon for institutions to only blame the person committing the offense, who, when “caught,” is forced by public pressure to resign – a personal reputation management move. But then larger structural issues allowing for abuse remain and institutions keep working as usual, with no good mechanisms in place, and no systemic harms prevention and reparation approaches.

Women football players around the world have had enough and are furiously pushing for change. All players deserve the right to play football without concerns for safety in the workplace. They have the right to compete with the same economic conditions enjoyed by male football players. They have the right to have more female coaches and federation leaders. They have the right to play football without having to make a statement about their rights after every game.

The Rubiales case should focus the football leadership in Spain, Europe, and internationally on the need for long-overdue reforms to protect and respect women players. Implementation of such reforms should be a key consideration for FIFA when deciding the location of key events including the Women’s and Men’s World Cups. Above all, it should hasten FIFA’s reforms to protect women, including by setting up an independent Safe Sport Entity, to report and investigate abuse, protect survivors, and get abusers at all levels out of sport.

Related news

US: FIFA Cancels Anti-Bias Messaging for Club World Cup

US: FIFA Cancels Anti-Bias Messaging for Club World Cup

Soccer Governing Body Action For US Tournament Bodes Ill For 2026 World Cup (New York) – The global soccer governing body FIFA’s reported decision to cancel previously planned additional anti-racism and anti-discrimination messaging at Club World Cup venues in the United States signals a human rights risk for FIFA’s upcoming 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico, the Dignity […]

READ MORE

Saudi Arabia: Migrant Workers Electrocuted, Decapitated, and Falling to Death at Workplaces

Saudi Arabia: Migrant Workers Electrocuted, Decapitated, and Falling to Death at Workplaces

Prevent, Investigate Deaths; Compensate Families; Mandate Life Insurance (Beirut) – Scores of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia die in gruesome yet avoidable workplace-related accidents, including falling from buildings, electrocution, and even decapitation, Human Rights Watch said today. Saudi authorities have failed to adequately protect workers from preventable deaths, investigate workplace safety incidents, and ensure timely and adequate […]

READ MORE

Japan Acts to Protect Athletes from Abuse

Japan Acts to Protect Athletes from Abuse

Four Years Since Tokyo Olympics, Lawmakers Commit to Protecting Children Four years after hosting the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, Japan is finally taking action to protect athletes from abuse in sport. This month, the Japanese National Diet passed a revision to the Basic Act on Sport (2011), requiring the national and local governments to adopt measures […]

READ MORE

Related resources

Submission to UN Human Rights Report on Combating Discrimination and Violence Against Intersex Persons

Submission to UN Human Rights Report on Combating Discrimination and Violence Against Intersex Persons

Ensuring the Rights of Intersex Athletes to Safe, Inclusive Sports Environments The LGBTI community faces numerous, often unique challenges when it comes to their right to participate in sport. Discriminatory narratives, exclusionary policies, and pervasive online harassment are just a few of the significant obstacles that hinder their ability to engage and enjoy in sports […]

READ MORE

Aerial shot of four crew rowers on teal water with Title: Behind the Statistics with blue highlight and eyebrow header above

Episode 2: “Behind the Statistics”

Understanding the data on abuse in sports Watch the second episode of our three-part series exploring scientific data on violence in sports: “Behind the Statistics.” In this video, we dive into prevalence studies and associated factors that put some groups of athletes at higher risk. Led by Dr Aurelie Pankowiak, postdoctoral researcher at the Institute […]

READ MORE

Job Opening: Social Media & Communications Assistant

Job Opening: Social Media & Communications Assistant

­ Job Description: Social Media & Communications Assistant Start date:       July 2025 Location:         Remote Reporting to:   Communications Coordinator Hours:             15 hours/week Application Deadline: 30 June 2025 Summary The Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA) is seeking a social media and communications assistant to help manage and create content for the SRA external […]

READ MORE

Join the Network

Sport has the potential to be a catalyst for human development, unity, and freedom, but too often it instead brings harm to its athletes, fans, and communities. We exist to uncover and rectify the many abuses that exist both in and around sport. We aim to transform sports into an authentic force for good.