Mr. Rubiales, you should calm down | Video analysis of Veronica Fumanal


I am not going to call him ‘Rubi’, because this affectionate name is only used by those men in the inner circle and in power of the president of the Real spanish soccer federation. Those gentlemen with whom there is compadreo, business, requests for favors… what comes to be ‘soft power’ Lifelong, mutually beneficial relationships that brush the limits of ethics without skipping the law (or yes). Despite not being a woman belonging to that circle, I have taken the license to use this space provided by EL PERIÓDICO to offer some advice to Mr. Rubiales.

1. You should calm down

Since you take the liberty of giving advice to journalists like Ana Pardo de Vera, you should be willing to get them back. I don’t know if you’re very used to it or not, but when you’re in front of the press giving explanations, your nervousness can’t lead you to try to disrespect the professionals who ask questions. Answer without assessing who is asking the question, without trying to discredit the professional, and if you do not have a satisfactory answer to the questions that are raised, admitting errors and contradictions always gives a patina of humility that never hurts in crisis situations reputation like the one you are going through.

2. Do not use women and our rights as an alibi for your business

It may seem worse or better to us that you have decided to clean up the accounts of the Spanish football teams and, incidentally, raise your salary, at the cost of taking a Spanish tournament and taking it to Saudi Arabia. A ‘win win win’. The Saudi oligarchs have top-level competition while whitewash their authoritarian regime and you make a fortune. Fans follow him on television or radio and those who can afford it, go on excursions to the country of the sheikhs. All correct, Mr. Rubiales.

What doesn’t make much sense is trying to go from Simone deBeauvoir and to proclaim himself as the achiever of feminist rights in the world. You are a getter yes, but of money. Brag about your income statement, but not that women have toilets in soccer stadiums, because in a country where women are second-class citizens, claiming that you do it for them is an insult to the feminist struggle.

3. Having daughters does not mean respecting women

The most used argument of patriotic machismo to deny their condition is to self-proclaim women’s children and those who can woman’s parents. I don’t recommend it. I don’t know if you are a feminist and believe in equal rights between men and women, but I already told you that being the son or father of a female does not guarantee anything. I refer to the evidence: 100% of the world’s population are the sons or daughters of women, almost 50% of parents have daughters and you can see how society is in the 21st century, having to claim that we are half of the population and that, in most of the world’s societies, we continue to be discriminated against for being so. Mr. Rubiales, perhaps you would be more credible as a defender of women if you purged the responsibilities of the harassment complaints and had a more equal leadership in his organization.

4. Lying is bad business

The Valencia Club de Fútbol has appeared as a victim in the arbitrary and unjustified distribution, according to the team, of the money that you say was basically for the humblest clubs. So the image of Robin Hood that you wanted to score the other day at the press conference does not seem to respond to the reality of the business that has reported so many “sticks” to the accounts of the big clubs, of the company of Gerard Piquéfrom the Royal Federation and, let’s also say it, from your pocket.

5. Do not victimize yourself, even if you are a victim

Related news

Being a victim of a ‘hacking’ is one of the biggest violations that a man can suffer. A woman, unfortunately, no (Mr. Rubiales, who, as I see, is very aware of feminism, if she wants one day we can talk about sexist violence). Of course you are the victim of a crime, if you manage to prove that you have been in court. But from there to you appearing as if the mob were going to cut the brakes off your car, it goes a long way.

I do not recommend that you victimize yourself more than necessary, it is a strategy that shows weakness. If you have nothing to hide, if your relationship with Piqué has not brought you a vantage point Regarding your fellow competitors, if you are so proud of what you have achieved and hold your head high, don’t worry. All controversy passes, but do not go overboard with the victimization because it’s going to look like you have reason to be uneasy.


Leave a Comment