Angeles Bejar, mother of Spanish Football Association boss, Luis Rubiales, under fire for kissing a female footballer on the lips, has vowed to ‘die for justice’ as she enters the second day of a hunger strike.
The 72-year-old retired hairdresser locked herself in the Divina Pastora church with her sister-in-law, Mari Carmen, at Costa resort of Motril, near Malaga, early on Monday morning, Daily Mail reports Tuesday.
Though taking water and energy drinks without food, Bejar said she would carry on her protest ‘indefinitely’ until ‘justice’ was achieved for her son.
She said, “I will stay here as long as my body holds out. I don’t mind dying for justice because my son is a decent person and it’s not fair what they’re doing.”
Rubiales kissed Women’s World Cup winner, Jenni Hermoso, on her lips earlier this month in Sydney, Australia and his actions sparked global controversy accusing him of both assault and taking attention away from Spain’s achievement.
He has also been criticised for grabbing his crotch in front of Spain’s Queen Letizia and her teenage daughter Sofia, which he has since apologised for, but has defiantly refused to resign from his post as the head of Spain’s football association as requested by politicians and other high-profile figures in football and sport with even the United Nations wading into the row.
The UN Human Rights in a statement on Tuesday said, “Women in sport continue to face sexual harassment and abuse – every one of us has the responsibility to call out and challenge such abuse.”