Should the President of the Spanish FA resign

And….

He did not touch her bottom

Anniebach, very unpleasant experiences, sadly shared by many of us in our age group. That doesn’t make it ok. It certainly doesn’t make Rubiales behaviour acceptable because some men behave even more badly

Now his mother has closed herself off in a church, claiming a hunger strike till the "hunt" for her son ends.....

I swear reality is stranger than fiction

Anniebach

Iam being pinned against a wall, yes frightening, I experienced a hand up my skirt when I accepted a lift from someone I knew well, I managed to get out of the car and walked nearly 4 miles home, trapped between a filing cabinet and a wall , bottom pinched when leaning over a desk, these did not take place in front of millions of people whilst high as a kite on the euphoria or winning a World Cup. So I cannot compare the happenings I have just spoken of with that

But isn't it all part of the same 'culture'?

The hand up your skirt and the bottom-pinching are all part of the same male sense of entitlement that persuaded Rubiales he could grab her head and kiss her on the mouth.

Some men are more overbearing than others - it's just a matter of degrees.

I don’t understand the comment Annie.
I was giving an example of men’s behaviour then which was never called out . The sense of entitlement and power imbalance meant he thought he could do what he wanted.

Thing is it’s over 50 years later and at long last men’s bad behaviour is no longer acceptable. Once men call out other men then perhaps things may change. In the meantime we speak out.

But it’s not one or the other Anniebach They are ALL wrong your experiences, my experiences, others that have posted on here and the lady footballer. None are right, they weren’t then, and they aren’t now, luckily women have more of a voice now

I find it very hard to understand why you find the need to defend the man

Iam being pinned against a wall, yes frightening, I experienced a hand up my skirt when I accepted a lift from someone I knew well, I managed to get out of the car and walked nearly 4 miles home, trapped between a filing cabinet and a wall , bottom pinched when leaning over a desk, these did not take place in front of millions of people whilst high as a kite on the euphoria or winning a World Cup. So I cannot compare the happenings I have just spoken of with that

Annie your short combative posts on this make it difficult to answer. I don’t understand what you’re saying. If you were deliberately pinned up against a wall against your will - what are we comparing that with

Ism64 and being pinned against a wall is comparable?

We used to go on holiday abroad with the expectation of having our bottoms pinched especially by Italians.
I already described up thread being pinned against a wall by the company accountant, yes these things happened and it was wrong then and wrong now. Difference is women today are standing up and saying a big NO this is not ok.

Well said BlueBelle and Dickens

Anniebach, with respect, the scenario you experienced isn’t comparable to the behaviour of Rubiales.

BlueBelle

So true Dickens I didn’t do a thing when it happened to me not a thing You are stunned, you doubt yourself did that really happen, then you start thinking did I do anything to give the wrong signals, you’re embarrassed it’s like if you take a tumble the first thing you do is look to see if anyone saw you, then you get up with the feeling ‘of course I meant to do that’ you are mortified and basically don’t know how you should behave without making a fuss

The latest is his mother has locked herself in a church and gone on hunger strike I m beginning to think they re a loopy family

The latest is his mother has locked herself in a church and gone on hunger strike I m beginning to think they re a loopy family

Ultimately this will end up being all about Rubiales and his family - all because he had to make the win about him. Why the hell couldn't he have been gracious and just given her the traditional 'hug' and peck on the cheek, like most do now? Why was the head-holding, mouth-kissing deemed necessary by him... it's almost like he felt the need to dramatise the win in this way to make himself more relevant to it.

I hesitate to judge him, thinking of reactions when Wales has beaten England in the six nations and I was in the stadium, been hugged, kissed, lifted off my feet , can only imagine Wales winning a World Cup

Hunger strike a bit of an over reaction don’t you think !!!

We kiss/peck people, male and female, we know on the cheeks, sometimes up to four times depending in which region we are in France but never on the lips.
Has he done the same to a man in the same circumstances in the past?

So true Dickens I didn’t do a thing when it happened to me not a thing You are stunned, you doubt yourself did that really happen, then you start thinking did I do anything to give the wrong signals, you’re embarrassed it’s like if you take a tumble the first thing you do is look to see if anyone saw you, then you get up with the feeling ‘of course I meant to do that’ you are mortified and basically don’t know how you should behave without making a fuss

The latest is his mother has locked herself in a church and gone on hunger strike I m beginning to think they re a loopy family

Well said granniequenie and Dickens

grannyqueenie

Well said Dickens and some other posters who have articulated things more clearly than I could.
I’ve been shocked and disappointed reading posts excusing or minimising this man’s behaviour.

I’d hoped times had changed 1969 when I, as a young newly married woman had a more senior work colleague play with the zip on the front of my dress while making suggestive comments. I felt embarrassed, intimidated, powerless and never felt able to wear that dress to work again. Was I confident to call it out, no but I dearly wish I had been. I can see from some comments here that others have had similar experiences in the past

Surely we as women who are older, perhaps wiser and more confident now, have a responsibility to name it for what it is, sexual harassment. If we’d all been braver years ago maybe things would be an easier for our daughters and granddaughters now. But having said that, the responsibility for ant sort of sexual harassment always lies firmly with the perpetrators.

Surely we as women who are older, perhaps wiser and more confident now, have a responsibility to name it for what it is, sexual harassment. If we’d all been braver years ago maybe things would be an easier for our daughters and granddaughters now. But having said that, the responsibility for ant sort of sexual harassment always lies firmly with the perpetrators.

👍👍👍

I think many on here will agree that when you've been grabbed, or groped, the first re-action is shock - you can't quite believe it's happening, and, in such situations we were often stunned into a state of immobility because we didn't quite know how to deal with it. We knew, instinctively, that a slap would've escalated the situation, and caused a scene. It takes a hell of a lot of presence of mind to deal adequately with this kind of thing - it might look easy in films, but the reality is quite different.

Those who blame the victim - "well, she just stood there - why didn't she push him away?"... yeah, so easy isn't it when millions of eyes are on you to know in a split second how to deal with it.

It's so depressing when people find excuses for what is, and always will be, regardless of the time or place, an attack on the integrity of a woman's body. You don't put your mouth on another person's mouth without their permission.

Well said Dickens and some other posters who have articulated things more clearly than I could.
I’ve been shocked and disappointed reading posts excusing or minimising this man’s behaviour.

I’d hoped times had changed 1969 when I, as a young newly married woman had a more senior work colleague play with the zip on the front of my dress while making suggestive comments. I felt embarrassed, intimidated, powerless and never felt able to wear that dress to work again. Was I confident to call it out, no but I dearly wish I had been. I can see from some comments here that others have had similar experiences in the past

Surely we as women who are older, perhaps wiser and more confident now, have a responsibility to name it for what it is, sexual harassment. If we’d all been braver years ago maybe things would be an easier for our daughters and granddaughters now. But having said that, the responsibility for ant sort of sexual harassment always lies firmly with the perpetrators.

Agreed. In one way it IS about women's football - who gets to control it, or who has been - everywhere.

Iam64

I’m still irritated that the news is focussed on a man with an inflated idea of his own importance rather than the fantastic women’s world cup

Yes - it's now all about him and his ego.

We should be discussing the future of women's football in the light of the win, and not should he or shouldn't he resign.

There's enough sexist crap goes on related to women's football - and other sport - without having to tolerate this... yet here we are again. I'm sure it was the crowning moment in her victory having his mouth glued to hers in a vice-like head hold <<<sigh>>>

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

There are regulations for spectators which clubs are required to enforce or be fined. Don’t pay the fine and you are not permitted to play football until you do. Clubs have spectator codes of conduct as recommended by the FA for men and women’s games. Misbehaviour is misbehaviour and there are means of dealing with it. Individuals can be banned from ALL football which means just that.

"Spain want to hold the 2030 World Cup". One very strong reason for people to want him to go - it would affect every potential venue and world views on football in Spain.

Oh I agree Iam64 - it's spoilt it for people world wide. I instead of celebrating we are back to looking at what's getting in the way for women.