Amanda Gutierrez, president of the union which defends players in Spain, was alongside Jennifer Hermoso during the affair which shook Spanish football in the summer of 2023.
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“What happened at the World Cup is not an isolated act.” Weighing her words, Friday March 8, Amanda Gutierrez returned to the affair of the forced kiss of Luis Rubiales – then president of the Spanish Football Federation – to the player Jennifer Hermoso during the celebrations of the Spanish victory in the last World Cup. world. President of the Futpro union, which defends the interests of female footballers, the lawyer experienced the media whirlwind when the images went around the world. “When this happened, as a union we obviously wanted to protect the player at all costs and we waited until she was ready to speak publicly.”she explains, denouncing “a structural problem” And “the impunity that this person thought they had by allowing themselves to do that.”
During the “Score a goal for women” conference, organized at UNESCO in Paris, Amanda Gutierrez mentioned August 25 as a key date in this affair. “During the general assembly of the Spanish Federation [RFEF]Luis Rubiales assures that he will not resign, and what he gets in return is applause and cheers”, she recalls. An event that will push Jennifer Hermoso to break the silence: “She told me that she had to speak, out of respect for herself, but also out of respect for all the women in the world to whom this man had just disrespected.”
Union, the only way to be heard
Then comes the time to organize as best we can to counter the powerful RFEF, which had already tried, after the fact, to cover up the affair, by declaring that it had received a press release from the player affirming that the kiss was consensual. “I had to look out for the good of the entire collective and I didn’t want Jenni to be the only one speaking. That’s when the madness startedremembers Amanda Gutierrez. I first called one of the world champions, I wanted her to speak to the whole group and have them all sign the press release. They agreed. I then called the first Spanish players to have participated in a World Cup [en 2015]. They agreed too. I called out the players who had problems with coach Jorge Vilda and who missed the World Cup for standing up for what they believed in. They accepted. What was supposed to be a press release with a few signatures was ultimately signed by more than 80 players.”
Affixing your signature to the bottom of the press release was a strong act, because it announced that all the signatories renounced the selection under these conditions. “The national team is the biggest reward for a professional athlete. However, they were all ready to give it up for good, if there were no structural changes.”, recalls the lawyer. This press release was published alongside a tweet from double Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, mentioning the famous “Se acabo” (“It’s over”). “The rest was incrediblesays Amanda Gutierrez. A global movement was created, we went to the streets and we saw banners with the message ‘Se acabo’. That’s when the institutions started to listen to us, when they realized that if the athletes are not there, there is no women’s football. They had no other choice.”
Dialogue was finally able to begin with the government and the Spanish Federation in order to be certain that structural changes would be made. A start to the collaboration which did not come without pressure for the players, summoned to Valencia despite their signing of the press release initiated by Jennifer Hermoso. “In Spain, if you refuse the national team, you can be banned for life from all competitions, with your country but also at club. Your career may be over. The players were so anxious about it. The mental health issues they experienced were indescribable.”regrets Amanda Gutierrez.
Stress and mental health issues
The president of Futpro insisted on attending this summons, worried about the safety of the players because “everything the federation did at the time did not protect them. They did everything they could to make sure nothing happened.” While the players asked for a statement with an apology, Amanda Gutierrez spoke up to go beyond: “What we want is to change the law. We also want a protocol on sexual harassment, guarantee a security perimeter within the selection, demand accountability from those who applauded Luis Rubiales and pressured the players to speak out [pour défendre le dirigeant].”
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To really change things and avoid spoiling the party again, the lawyer continues to work in favor of female footballers. “My role and that of the union is to make it clear that any player can turn to us. We are constantly in meetings, in discussions to try to build a better world. It’s invisible work, but we want to change the laws to end this structural problem. It is my mission and my objective as president of this institution, to remind the players that together, whatever their club, whatever their country, whatever language they speak, if they are together , they can change things.”