Rubiales affair: striking players who do not show up will be sanctioned

Spanish internationals who do not show up for their selection call following the Rubiales affair will be sanctioned, warned the president of the Superior Sports Council (CSD), Victor Francos, on the night of Monday to Tuesday.

Spain's 2022 sports law states that failing to attend national team call-ups constitutes a "very serious" offense.

Potential fines range from 3,000 to 30,000 euros, and players can even lose their license for up to five years.

On Monday, fifteen of the 23 Spanish world champions, who had announced that they did not want to join the selection until a total overhaul of the governing bodies of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) took place, were still called up for the next League of Nations matches by the new coach Montse Tomé.

But a few hours after the announcement of this list, the majority of these players reaffirmed their “desire not to be summoned”, believing that the Federation was “not in a position to require their presence.”

They have been on strike since the Luis Rubiales affair, named after the former Spanish football boss who forcibly kissed the player Jenni Hermoso after La Roja's victory at the World Cup. Rubiales has since been forced to resign in the face of the international scandal that followed.

“If the players do not show up, the government must enforce the law. I'm sorry to say it like this, but we have to do what we have to do,” Ser Victor Francos warned on Cadena radio, while the CSD is authorized to take this type of measures.

Spain must face Sweden on Friday and Switzerland on September 26 in the Nations League, a qualifying tournament for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Victor Francos says he wants to “talk with certain players” to “try to resolve” the crisis.

AFP noted that several striking players finally showed up for selection this Tuesday.