Aitana Bonmati says Spain want to ‘stick to football’ after Women’s World Cup kiss scandal

Aitana Bonmati says Spain want to ‘stick to football’ following the Women’s World Cup kiss scandal involving Luis Rubiales and Jennifer Hermoso.

Spain’s women became champions of the world last month with victory over England in the final but their achievements were largely overshadowed by the inappropriate actions of male Spanish FA (RFEF) president Rubiales.

Rubiales kissed female player Hermoso on the lips during the presentation ceremony – which sparked widespread outrage and forced him to resign.

Spain’s Players Demand Further Changes

Spain’s players demanded further changes following the scandal and announced that they would boycott the national team until their implementation. However, players recently ended their boycott after the RFEF agreed to ‘immediate and profound changes’ – and after beating Sweden in the Nations League on Friday – Spain now face Switzerland on Tuesday.

Bonmati Reflects on World Cup Kiss Scandal

Speaking ahead of that match, UEFA Women’s Player of the Year and World Cup MVP Bonmati has reflected on the World Cup kiss scandal.

‘We are setting an example on a sporting and social levels, that men and women should be treated equally,’ Bonmati said. ‘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, that have been discussed, 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.’

‘(Gender equality) is a global struggle and all the players feel it is a little bit our own. 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.’

Conclusion

The Women’s World Cup kiss scandal was a major setback for gender equality in sport, but Spain’s players have shown that they won’t be deterred in their mission to make a difference. Aitana Bonmati has made it clear that they want to ‘stick to football’ and continue to set an example for gender equality.