Three days ago Spain won the Women’s World Cup in football (soccer). And in the celebration and elation, the president of Spain’s soccer federation kissed Jennifer Hermosa. And this wasn’t a kiss-kiss-kiss triple action cheek kiss of the Europeans. This was a full-on lip-to-lip, mouth-to-mouth of a stranger man on a woman-not-his-partner. And it seems like it has been all we’ve heard about since Spain’s victory over England. We’ve let this man’s bad behavior forever taint and skew the memory of that moment.
When I heard about it, I thought, “Don’t let this steal your moment.” But we’ve given that man her moment, all the news cycles, all the attention- even if it’s negative attention. We displaced her victory and accomplishment with his bad behavior. Luis Rubiales and his in-poor-taste, inappropriate kiss. Day 1 – the Victory…it’s all a furor over the KISS. Day 2 – He should apologize. Day 3- He apologizes. Day 4- His apology isn’t enough. The microphone swivels to Jennifer Hermosa and asks her if she accepts the apology. She becomes the second line of the story WHEN SHE WON THE WORLD CUP.
One of the best soccer platers in the entire world and she gets diminished by that kiss? The story, the real impactful piece of NEWS is the soccer win, Spain winning the world cup. And not that kiss.
My recommendation is that we don’t mention his name. Like we don’t talk about the SHOOTERS that commit mass casualties. Don’t give them the limelight. Instead, return the focus to Jennifer Hermosa and her team mates. I am not going to rob Jennifer or her team mates of their well-deserved glory. Congratulations! +
