Jenni Hermoso claims ‘nothing has changed’, following RFEF’s call up of boycotting players

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Spain midfielder, Jenni Hermoso says things have not changed at her country’s football federation (RFEF) after many boycotting players were called up to the new coach’s team against their will. Montse Tome is the new coach of the Women’s Senior team.

A controversy which necessitated the appointment of a new coach took place  at the end of the recent FIFA Women World Cup, when the former-RFEF president, Luis Rubiales, ‘pecked’ Jenni Hermoso on the lips. She later announced it was fine, but would refute this statement in at another time, stating it was given under duress.

The ex-president has continued to claim the kiss was consensual, confessing that he asked for her permission before giving her the ‘peck’. Many would disagree with his oversimplification of the incident, because apart from the fact he was in a respectable role, people did not give each other formal pecks on the lips even in Spain.

This controversy led to the boycotting of the females’ team by the female players, the sacking of Jorge Vilda the former coach, the forced-resignation of Luis Rubiales, and presently, the forceful call up of team members whose decision not to play for the country till ‘structural changes’ were made was common knowledge.

Jenni Hermoso claims through a post on her X wall that this latest development is a signifier that nothing has changed at the football federation. Herself was excluded from the team by Montse Tome (who is the first female one the team ever had) on the grounds that it was more safe for Hermoso. There are two matches awaiting the European champions, who won England by one goal at the recent FIFA Women World Cup finals.

Jenni Hermoso was rejected from the new coach’s team for her safety

RFEF’s new president has promised to make all the changes necessary to make the federation better for the boycotting female team. This is why the former coach of the senior Women’s team, by whose leadership the team lifted their first ever World Cup in history, was stunningly sacked. A sack the coach still sadly refers to as hurtful.

Jorge Vilda was among the reason the team boycotted the federation in the first place, and could have retained his position if the former president was still in office. Many women once submitted an identical letter to RFEF calling for his sack, due to their dissatisfaction at his method of coaching. A method many think might have enabled them to clinch the World Cup.

Here is Jenni Hermoso’s full recent statement – ‘The players are certain that this is yet another strategy of division and manipulation to intimidate and threaten us with legal repercussion and economic sanctions.

‘It is yet more irrefutable proof that shows that even today, nothing has changed.’

Continuing a boycott after being called up by the RFEF can bring two punishments: a fine of €30,000 and a ban of up to 15 years. From all indications, it seems that many from the female team are willing to weather this storm.

Do you think Jenni Hermoso is right in saying that nothing has changed at the RFEF, and using the call up of boycotting players as an example?