Spain’s World Cup-winning women’s squad have decided to end national team boycott after Spanish FA said it would make “immediate and profound changes.” However two players have expressed their desire to leave the Spain camp.
The decision to stop the boycott was reached after more than seven hours of meetings at a hotel involving the players, Spanish FA officials, National Sports Council and the women’s players’ union.
BREAKING: Spain’s World Cup-winning squad have agreed to end their boycott of the national team 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/UW0mJ8XGJO
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 20, 2023
The players had said that they would not represent Spain until additional reforms were implemented within the federation, exacerbating an ongoing crisis that initially erupted when the former Spanish FA president, Luis Rubiales, kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the World Cup presentation ceremony.
Read more: The Kiss That Ignited a Storm in Spanish Football
Hermoso disputed the terms that the kiss was consensual, sparking a national debate about macho culture in sport and eventually led to Rubiales’s resignation.
Read more: Rubiales Set to Resign as Spanish FA President Amidst Kiss Controversy
“The players have also shown us their concern about the need to make profound changes in the RFEF( Royal Spanish Football Federation) and the RFEF has committed to ensuring that these changes occur immediately,” CSD president Victor Francos said.
New coach Montse Tome called up twenty players who had declared their intention to boycott the team. Although all of them attended training on Tuesday, two players opted to depart from the squad citing “personal reasons.”
It was mutually agreed that neither player would face sanctions, and their identities would be kept confidential.”Two players have requested the possibility of leaving the concentration for reasons of lack of spirit and personal discomfort,” president Victor Francos said.
Subscribe to Switch Tv for more exciting content
The players could have faced sanctions including fines of £25,950) and the suspension of their federation licence for two to 15 years according to Spain’s Sports Act if they had refused the call-up.
Spain are set to make their debut in the Women’s Nations League against Sweden in Gothenburg on Friday before playing against Switzerland in Cordoba on Sept. 26
