The management committee of the Spanish Football Federation, which has led the body on an interim basis since the resignation of Luis Rubiales, on Wednesday called elections for May 6 to elect a new president. At the head of this committee, Pedro Rocha submitted his resignation in order to be able to present himself in this election where he is the big favorite, according to the Spanish press. Local media are currently mentioning Eva Parera, lawyer and expert in sports law, as her main competitor.
Luis Rubiales resigned from his post in September following the global scandal caused by his kiss on the mouth imposed on international Jenni Hermoso after the victory of the “Roja” in the final of the Women’s World Cup the previous month in Sydney . At its meeting on Wednesday, the management committee also decided to “launch criminal proceedings against all those who have caused economic or reputational damage to this institution”, in reference to the investigation for alleged corruption which is currently shaking the Federation.
Several former members of the RFEF, including Luis Rubiales, are being prosecuted in this case relating to irregularities in contracts signed by the Federation over the last five years. The former Spanish football boss was arrested and questioned on Wednesday upon his return to Spain from the Dominican Republic, before being released by the authorities.
He is accused of “money laundering, commercial corruption, unfair administration and membership in a criminal organization” in this investigation, which led to the search of the RFEF headquarters on March 20 and the arrest of seven people, since released. In its press release, the body specifies that it has authorized an audit over the period 2018-2023 to “help clarify all the facts and bring them before the court” and put an end to “a turbulent period which has seriously damaged the image of Spanish football.