The mother of embattled Spanish football federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales has locked herself in a church and said that she is on a hunger strike over the ‘inhuman’ treatment of her son.
Ángeles Béjar shut herself inside the Divina Pastora church in Rubiales’ hometown of Motril, in the province of Granada (Andalusia), on Monday, according to the EFE news agency. Rubiales, 46, grew up in Motril and his father was the resort town’s former mayor.
She said her protest would continue until the ‘inhumane, bloodthirsty witch hunt which my son is being subjected to’ came to an end. Béjar told EFE the strike was ‘indefinite’.
Rubiales’ cousin Vanessa Ruíz Béjar said: ‘We are suffering a lot for him. He has been judged before his time.’
‘They [the media] don’t stop harassing us,’ she added. ‘We had to leave our house. We want them to leave us alone and for Jenni [Hermoso] to tell the truth. It’s not fair.’
Rubiales was provisionally suspended by FIFA on Saturday pending an investigation into his conduct at the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney on 20 August.
Rubiales grabbed his crotch in the stadium’s VIP area in celebration of Spain’s win over England, when he was stood metres away from Spain’s queen Letizia and her teenage daughter.
He then kissed Spain midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the trophy and medals presentation, something she says was done without her consent. ALSO READ: FIFA provisionally suspends Rubiales, as RFEF threatens to sue protesting female players.
We will be updating this report.
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