We fought to be heard: Putellas

Spain women’s midfielder says they endured ‘systematic discrimination’ for decades

GOTHENBURG:

Spain's women soccer players said on Thursday the fight they have waged with the country's football federation (RFEF)  followed decades of "systematic discrimination" and they hoped that it would inspire others to stand up for their rights.

Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas said the kiss on the mouth of teammate Jenni Hermoso by then RFEF President Luis Rubiales during the World Cup and his subsequent refusal to resign was the "straw that broke the camel's back" that prompted the players to boycott playing for the team until leadership changes were made at the federation.

Following negotiations that went on into the early hours of Wednesday, a majority of players agreed to end their boycott. "We had been demanding that they listen to us for quite some time because we already knew that there had been systematic discrimination with the women's (team) for many decades," Putellas said at a press conference ahead of a Nation's League match against Sweden on Friday. "We had to fight a lot to be heard."

Between six and nine senior officials of the football federation will be invited to leave their jobs or will be sacked, a source told Reuters on Wednesday, shortly before the federation announced it had sacked its Secretary General Andreu Camps.

Rubiales, who was suspended by FIFA from his roles at the RFEF and the vice presidency of UEFA, eventually resigned as he faces investigation by a court for assault and coercion over the kiss. Rubiales claimed that Hermoso has consented to the kiss but she denied this.

Jorge Vilda, the coach who guided Spain to glory in the Women's World Cup, was dismissed earlier this month.

Spain defender Irene Paredes said the players could see there were already improvements being made but that "we still can't see the light at the end of the tunnel."

She said the players were aware that this was the moment to strike while they "held the loudspeaker" and that their stand could help other women suffering discrimination