Breathe
By Rosa Covarrubias
It has been a complex few weeks of analysis, of assimilating what has happened in the last 15 days since the Spanish national soccer team became world champions for the first time in its history in Sydney.
It has been two weeks in which millions of words have been spoken and written to express what happened at the awards ceremony, in which Luis Rubiales, president of the RFEF took the spotlight after 'asking Jenni Hermoso for a piquito', a non-consensual kiss.
"You could have refused", "if it had bothered her, she shouldn't have celebrated in the locker room", while traveling on the bus "I didn't see her so angry, in fact, I saw her laughing", are just some of the phrases we have heard throughout these two weeks.
Now I ask you to reverse those phrases and ask yourself or a woman close to you what you would have done, could you have refused, if it bothered you why did you celebrate your professional triumph, you had to be angry, why are you laughing?
The last week of August and the first days of September should be special for the soccer players, but for the most part, they have been suffering. The celebrations and recognitions for each of them were extended to their places of origin, the obligatory question of the journalists, Rubiales' kiss to Jenni Hermoso.
In Mexico, the presence of Barcelona and Real Madrid made it a special occasion to see some of the world's best players take on America and Tigres. The blaugranas did not come with a full team, but their reference Alexia Putellas, twice named best player in the world and champion of the orb, decided to attend her team's tour on this side of the world. The pregame spotlight was on Rubiales.
Putellas responded in an exclusive interview with TUDN: "We all want the same thing, that there is respect for our profession as there has been for so many years and still is in the men's game, we just fight for that. I also say that we do not only need the help of the players, it is clear that the union is the first step but I will always defend that the player is a player".
Andrea Pereira, player of America and former Spanish national team, being one of "the 15" (as they refer to the players who sent more than 10 months ago a letter to the RFEF to ask for changes in the Spanish women's national team), was questioned about it: "In the end it is to be welcomed that finally everyone is going in the same direction. I think this had been going on for a long time, when I resigned the kiss had not happened, we had been seeing things for a long time that were not the right things to see within a federation, finally, to say it, everyone has wanted to go to one, has turned to Spain, women, it is a positive thing".
The UEFA 2023 Gala, which recognizes the best of European soccer, will go down in history as the event where the winners of the best female coach and best female player awards gave an emotional speech.
"I am very honored by this award. I dedicate it to all my team and players. I also want to say that what happened with the Spanish team has hurt me a lot, I am hurt as a coach and mother of two daughters. They deserve to celebrate and they deserve to be heard. I emphasize that there is still a long way to go in the women's world. I dedicate the trophy to the Spanish national team and I ask for a round of applause for them", this was Sarina Wiegman's speech when she was presented with the award for best coach of a women's team, after leading the English national team to the World Cup final for the first time.
Aitana Bonmatí, world, Spanish league and women's Champions League champion and who, of course, won the award for best player, did not miss the opportunity to make the eyes of the world be attentive at that moment: "as a society we should not allow the abuse of power in a work relationship, nor disrespect. So, from my teammate Jenni to all women who suffer the same, we are with you.
A kiss that should not have been given, forced apologies; a mother on hunger strike in defense of her son and an overshadowed celebration. A kiss that will change the history of 23 players, of a national team, of an entire country, of the whole world.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of Opinion 51.
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