Spanish Super Cup brought 'equality' for Saudi women: football chief

The President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales claimed that women of Saudi Arabia “entered into equality” after the federation agreed to host the Spanish Super Cup in the kingdom.

“Before we went, there weren't even bathrooms for women in the soccer fields of Saudi Arabia. With us they entered into equality,” said Rubiales in a press conference on Wednesday.

Luis Rubiales: "Antes de ir nosotros no había ni baños para las mujeres en los campos de fútbol de Arabia Saudí. Con nosotros entraron en igualdad" pic.twitter.com/O7nrJX3Ryk

— El HuffPost (@ElHuffPost) April 20, 2022

Rubiales and FC Barcelona star Gerard Pique have been accused of corruption and a conflict of interest over a deal that controversially gave Saudi Arabia the right to host the Spanish Super Cup from 2019 to 2029.

Leaked recordings and documents from 2019, first reported by Spanish newspaper El Confidencial on Monday, revealed that Pique and Rubiales colluded to host the competition in the Gulf state.

Both Pique and Rubiales have denied any wrongdoing.

Rubiales defended the deal at the press conference, arguing that the deal was “exemplary” and that he has “nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Ustedes deberían de dar gracias a la federación por la creación de una liga femenina”

En fin… juzgad vosotros y vosotras seguidoras del futfem pic.twitter.com/2uOsbFA7XW

— Andrea Sanchis (@AndreaSanchis_4) April 20, 2022

He also positioned himself and the RFEF as a champion of equality and women's football, claiming that the Super Cup had allowed women to take part in the game in Saudi Arabia, telling reporters "You should thank the [RFEF] for creating a women's league."

Saudi Arabia’s human rights record had been a major issue when the RFEF struck its deal with the Kingdom in 2019.

During this year’s tournament in January, Amnesty International urged participating teams to wear armbands to protest Riyadh’s suppression of women’s rights in the kingdom.