Spain’s hard won FIFA national title was slashed with controversy after winning player Jennifer Hermoso was kissed nonconsensually by Luis Rubiales, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation. After securing their victory on August 20th, the Spanish Team was asked to line up in order to receive their medals and congratulations from various notable Spanish figures. A moment that deserved to be remembered with joy and glory was promptly turned on its head after Rubiales grabbed Hermoso by the head and kissed her with no prior warning or permission.This act of macho sexism sparked a resurgence of the #MeToo movement across womens sports teams in Spain and questioned the overall treatment of women in sports.
Rubiales continually insists that this kiss was consensual, claiming that the kiss was “mutual” and something “I could give one of my daughters.” Hermoso denies his claims and as stated in a social media post: “I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-driven, sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part” Rubiales stuck to his story and refused to step down from his position. In consequence, the entire Spanish team, as well as an increasing roster of supporting players, refused to play for Spain until the president was fired. The increasingly growing amount of backlash on Rubiales resulted in a prompt suspension and then later complete firing from his position as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
Although these actions are an important display of morality, it is a small step in solving the inherent sexism found in women’s athletics. Rubiales actions have opened up the door into the inappropriate and borderline abusive conditions found in female sport that too many women have been victims of sexual abuse. These conditions are not always glaringly obvious, as demonstrated by Rubiales, but are hidden in the form of a double standard or small remark.
Senior, Indira Naylor, who has been playing soccer for almost 14 years and is committed to play for UChicago comments on how multiple coaches have, “compared [her] to boys who also play soccer or put [her] down in a certain way because [she is] I am not at that level, like physically” In comparing female athletes to their male counterparts, coaches are creating an environment that demeans their accomplishments, making them seem less worthy of their accolades. These developments have been exemplified by instances such as Hermosos’. Her hard fought victory and crucial playing throughout the tournament was tainted by a man who held so little respect for her achievement, that he believed a non-consensual kiss was acceptable.
Taking a deeper look into the Lamorinda community, it is disappointing how easy it is to find young female athletes who can share stories that contain similar sexist instances found in the Hermoso-Rubiales incident. Naylor shared on her experience with a coach of five years, “who was arrested because of charges on sexual harassment because he exchanged inappropriate messages with what he thought was a 15 year old girl” Although this case relates to obvious issues concerning pedophilia and sexual harrasment, it is important to understand where the root of his, and many other male coaches, superiority complexes come from. Male coaches are put in a position where the trust and security of young women becomes their responsibility and too often it becomes misused and violated. Age and experience often work together to create a powerful facade that men utilize to act in inappropriate ways towards their female athletes.
Senior, Natalie Bove, who has been club swimming since she was 4 recounts her experience dealing with double standards in her sporting field. During her bigger meets of the year, Bove and her teammates are required to wear “fast suits” which are designed to help the swimmers perform to their best ability. Bove describes how, “In order for us to feel comfortable and not perform badly, we would take down our [swimsuit] straps but our coaches…” all of whom were men, “…wouldn’t let us wear bikinis.” This simple act of comfort was turned against the girls because their wants were considered, “inappropriate” and “not modest enough” The double standard was obvious to Bove as she points out that, “…the guys get to wear speedos which barely cover any part of their body”
Much like Bove, an anonymous senior spoke up about her needs being ignored during practice: “In some situations, my period pain is so bad that I can’t continue, and that is difficult for coaches to understand when I try to explain that type of pain” in simpler terms, she feels “that [her] my needs are being ignored” Weather it is a swimsuit strap, period problem or feeling of violation and vulnerability such as Hermosos, the needs of women should never be disregarded by a man who prioritizes his opinion over hers.
Something needs to change. As new technology, better training programs, and bigger tournaments are taking over the sports world, the treatment of women will not be left behind. To start, more attention must be given to proper coaching staff. Improper behavior should not be swept under the rug and forgotten about but stopped before it can happen. Naylor advocated for “people looking over and observing the coaches. Observing the athletes and seeing that they’re okay and that they are being treated well” Mistreatment of female athletes can be found in recreational, club, and professional sports. By implementing a system with “stricter safety regulations” and creating a “crackdown on inappropriate, sexual ways” Naylor describes a world where women in athletics can feel safe to speak out against coaches who abuse their power.
Women deserve to be heard and appreciated in the same ways that their male companions are. Bove comments on how, “coaches need to pay attention to what their athletes actually need and treat them on the same playing field” By listening too and understanding the boundaries that their female athletes have, incidents of violation such as Hermosos’ could have been avoided. The greatest changes have begun with a problem so obvious, it becomes impossible to ignore. Rubiales tainted a beautiful victory by forcing Hermoso into a “celebratory” kiss is the cumulation of sexist ideology fostered by a position of power.