World Cup winners Spain maintain boycott

Barcelona, September 15

The new coach of Spain’s women’s team had to delay the announcement of her first squad today after the country’s FIFA World Cup-winning players maintained their boycott of the national team as part of their fight against sexism in football.

Spain coach Montse Tome was set to announce her squad on Friday. But, 20 minutes before she was supposed to hold a news conference, the federation said it was postponed to a time to be determined. The federation said the players had rejected their attempts to convince them to return to the team early today.

That leaves Tome with the difficult decision of whether to still call up the revolting players, or select a completely different team for upcoming Nations League games against Sweden and Switzerland on September 22 and 26. According to Spanish sports law, athletes are required to answer the call of its national teams unless there are circumstances that impede them from playing, such as an injury. — AP

Rubiales denies wrongdoing

Madrid: Spain’s former football boss Luis Rubiales denied in a preliminary court hearing today allegations of sexual assault and coercion filed by player Jenni Hermoso over an alleged non-consensual kiss, the prosecutor leading the case said. The prosecutor has also requested a restraining order against Rubiales so he cannot get within 500 metres of Hermoso, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. Reuters