President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales is facing growing calls to be sacked after a different woman has come forward with allegations of inappropriate remarks by the embattled football chief.
Mr Rubiales caused an uproar at the Women’s World Cup after kissing star player Jennifer Hermoso on the lips during the medal ceremony for the Women’s World Cup. He has since apologised for the incident.
After the match Ms Hermoso admitted she “didn’t like it”.
Tamara Ramo, who used to work alongside Mr Rubiales at the Spanish Player’s Association, has now told Spanish television channel Telecinco that she was subjected to numerous misogynist and sexist remarks when she worked with him.
“I have suffered humiliations, physical blows [to the furniture], words that I cannot repeat due to the time we are in … It was an atrocity for a long time,” she said.
“I am not at all surprised by what is happening, I have known him for many years and I have suffered from him.
Ms Ramo said that at one point he told her: “You’ll see, you’ve come here to put your knee pads on”.
“These are words that nobody deserves, especially a professional, who as I was, has come to work.”
She also alleges he asked her, “What colour underwear are you wearing today?”
“You feel so … being a woman in the football world, there are not many of us. It’s hard to face yourself,” she said.
In response to the claims, The RFEF, Spain’s football association, said it “regrets and denounces the very serious and false accusations made by Tamara Ramos, a former co-worker of president Luis Rubiales when he headed the AFE union”.
The statement added: “In addition, immediate legal measures have been taken on the understanding that statements of such magnitude and so defamatory cannot be tolerated that the only thing they want is to damage the image of Luis Rubiales by taking advantage of the current media.
“It is pertinent to report that Ms Ramos has also maintained personal contact with president Luis Rubiales throughout this time and has even sent him family images, congratulated him on his birthday, and even recently requested a job in the federation.
“We totally condemn the aforementioned statements, which we consider inadmissible, announcing at the same time the filing of the appropriate criminal actions against Ms Ramos.”
The new allegations come as footage emerges of Mr Rubiales grabbing his crotch during wild scenes next to Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter, Princess Infanta Sofía after Spain won the World Cup.
The embarrassing footage circulating on Twitter shows Mr Rubiales’ scandalous celebration in the stands at Sydney’s Stadium Australia on August 20.
Spain football president issues apology | 01:17
The football chief is under increasing pressure to resign with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez blasting the “insufficient” apology given by Mr Rubiales over the kiss.
“What we saw was an unacceptable gesture,” Mr Sanchez told a news conference when asked about the outcry over the unsolicited kiss.
“I also think the apologies given by Mr Rubiales are insufficient. And I even think that they are inappropriate, and that he must go further,” added Mr Sanchez, a Socialist politician whose government has pushed through tougher laws on sexual consent and harassment.
As the controversy over the kiss grew, Mr Rubiales apologised in a video posted on social media.
“It was done without any ill intention in a moment of the highest exuberance,” he said.
“Here we saw it as natural and normal but outside it has caused a commotion.”
news.com.au has reached out to Mr Rubiales for comment.
