More updates on the Royal Spanish Soccer Federation president Luis Rubiales saga

The GIST: Embattled Royal Spanish Soccer Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales remains in power despite additional public denouncements of him forcibly kissing Spanish women’s national team star Jenni Hermoso at their WWC trophy presentation. Here’s the latest in the apparently never-ending saga.

❌ In his first public comments on the incident on Wednesday, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin called Rubiales’ behavior “inappropriate” and threw his support behind FIFA’s disciplinary process.

• Rubiales serves as one of the vice presidents of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), but was (at least) temporarily removed from his position when FIFA issued him a 90-day provisional suspension.

🤕 After receiving treatment following a hunger strike in protest of what she called a “witch hunt” of her son, Rubiales’ mother was released from the hospital yesterday. Meanwhile, Rubiales’ uncle Juan Rubiales came forward and said his nephew is “obsessed with power…luxury…and women.” Sheesh.

👋 The RFEF is reportedly preparing to fire Spanish women’s national team head coach Jorge Vilda, a longtime supporter of Rubiales and the subject of player protests leading up to the WWC. Vilda reportedly refused a request to resign yesterday…because of course he did.

✊ Spain’s WWC Golden Ball winner Aitana Bonmatí shared support for her teammate when she accepted the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year award yesterday. Shortly after, England’s women’s national team head coach Sarina Wiegman dedicated her Coach of the Year award to the protesting Spanish squad.

• Elsewhere, FIFA president Gianni Infantino broke his silence, stating the obvious, “This never should have happened, on Instagram.