Knocks on Rummenigge over outburst as Rubiales kisses Hermoso

 

MUNICH – The chairwoman of second-division St Pauli has sharply criticized former Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge for his statements over the women’s World Cup kissing affair involving Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales, with Hermoso.

Sandra Schwedler told the Deutschlandfunk radio that Rummenigge’s comments were “devastating” and that they showed “how dramatic the situation actually is.”

Rubiales caused a storm by kissing Hermoso on the lips without her consent after Spain won the World Cup 1-0 over England a week ago in Sydney.

He has refused to resign despite huge pressure to do so, but has been provisionally suspended by the world governing body FIFA, the Spanish women’s World Cup squad has said they won’t play again as long as he is president.

Rummenigge, who has recently returned to Bayern as member of the supervisory board, also caused a stir when he earlier in the week came to Rubiales’ defence by saying: “I think you should not exaggerate. You are emotional when you become world champion. And what he did there – sorry, with all due respect – is absolutely OK.”

Schwedler, who’s the only woman in her position in German professional football, didn’t want to talk about a general “men’s problema” in the sport.

However, she stressed: “What I perceive is that men have, of course, shaped this sport for years. And in doing so, they have dictated how things have to be, have dubbed it ‘the normal’ and, therefore, excluded a large part of society, namely everything that’s not male.”