Spain’s women players ready to stick to football after ending boycott, says midfielder Aitana Bonmati
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Spain's Aitana Bonmati said she and her teammates are relieved they can now concentrate on their day job, following the standoff.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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CORDOBA – Spain’s women players want to “just stick to football” after they ended their boycott of the national team that started after former Spanish federation (RFEF) boss Luis Rubiales kissed Jennifer Hermoso on the lips following their World Cup triumph, midfielder Aitana Bonmati said.
Uefa Women’s Player of the Year and World Cup Golden Ball winner Bonmati acknowledged that she and her teammates are relieved they can now concentrate on their day job, following an “exhausting” month-long stand-off that ended last Wednesday after the RFEF agreed to make “immediate and profound changes” to its structure.
They had time for only one training session before travelling to Gothenburg, where they battled to a cathartic 3-2 win over top-ranked Sweden
“We are setting an example on sporting and social levels, that men and women should be treated equally,” Bonmati said in Cordoba on Monday, on the eve of their match against 21st-ranked Switzerland.
“The first few days were complicated, with stress, anxiety but, as the days have gone by, things have changed.
“We have now been able to focus on football, which is what we want.
“We want to get back to normality knowing that there are many things to improve, and that there are commitments on all sides to make this go better and to leave a good legacy and good conditions for all generations to come.”
Rubiales’ actions not only overshadowed the team’s World Cup triumph
That included two dressing room rebellions that ended the international careers of several players before they finally accomplished change, thanks to the latest boycott.
“(Gender equality) is a global struggle and all the players feel it is a little bit our own,” Bonmati added.
“We are here to play football but we have a loudspeaker and a responsibility to leave football and women in a better place than we found it.”
Between six and nine RFEF senior officials will be invited to leave their jobs or will be sacked as part of a deal to end the boycott, a federation source told Reuters.
Secretary-general Andreu Camps and Miguel Garcia Caba, director of integrity, were the first to be removed from their positions, RFEF announced last week.
Meanwhile, two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, defender Irene Paredes and goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez will testify before a judge over the kiss scandal, according to a judicial source.
The trio are all slated to testify on Oct 2 in the case against Rubiales, who is facing sexual assault charges.
Hermoso will also be called to testify at some stage. REUTERS, AFP
