Beleaguered Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales said on Friday he won't resign over kissing a player on the lips after the women's World Cup final.
Rubiales came under heavy criticism after he kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips at the victory ceremony on Sunday in Sydney after Spain beat England 1-0 to win a first world title.
The world governing body FIFA launched an ethics probe against him, player unions and politicians called for his resignation but Rubiales told an emergency RFEF assembly that he was facing "a social execution" and named himself a victim of "false feminists.
"I'm not going to resign. What have I done? Is a consented peck (the reason) to get me out of here? I'm going to fight until the end," he said.
"The time has come to say something. I was wrong and it was not the time to make that gesture. Is it serious enough for me to leave? I'm not going to resign.
"I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I lost control. The kiss was like one for one of my children."
Rubiales, 46, issued an apology on Monday, but Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and player unions were among those who said that was not good enough, with Spanish media on Thursday believing he would step down after five years on the job.
Hermoso said in a social media video after the incident: "I didn't like it, but what can I do."
The RFEF later published a statement in which Hermoso was quoted as saying that the kiss was consensual but she said on Wednesday that her union would speak on her behalf, and it said it would do everything that the incident does "not go unpunished."
FIFA opened it probe on Thursday against Rubiales who was also seen grabbing his crotch after the victory in the VIP section, not far away from Spanish Queen Letizia and teen-aged Princess Sofía.
FIFA said that the events "may constitute violations" of its disciplinary code and will only provide further information "once it has issued a final decision on the matter."
"FIFA reiterates its unwavering commitment to respecting the integrity of all individuals and strongly condemns any behaviour to the contrary," it said.
