FIFA suspends Luis Rubiales, head of Spanish football association, as fallout from controversial World Cup final kiss continues

FIFA has provisionally suspended the head of Spanish football Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level following his kiss on the lips to Jenni Hermoso at the Women's World Cup final.

"The chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, Jorge Ivan Palacio (Colombia), using powers granted by article 51 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC), has this Saturday (26 August) decided to provisionally suspend RFEF president Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level.

This suspension, which will be effective as of today, is for an initial period of 90 days, pending the disciplinary proceedings opened by the committee against Mr Luis Rubiales on Thursday 24 August," read the statement issued by the world footballing body.

In addition, the statement prohibits the president of the FEF from attempting to contact the player. "It orders Mr Luis Rubiales to refrain, through himself or third parties, from contacting or attempting to contact the professional player of the Spanish national team Ms Jennifer Hermoso or her close entourage. Likewise, the RFEF and its officials or employees, directly or through third parties, are ordered to refrain from contacting the professional player of the Spanish national team, Ms. Jennifer Hermoso, or her immediate family.

"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee will not provide any further information on these disciplinary proceedings until a final decision has been taken. FIFA reiterates its absolute commitment to respect the integrity of all individuals and therefore condemns any behaviour to the contrary in the strongest terms," the official statement said.

On Friday afternoon, the player embroiled in the kiss controversy at the World Cup final, Jenni Hermoso, issued a strongly-worded statement after Rubiales appeared at an RFEF assembly earlier in the day, claimed the kiss was consensual and refused to step down from his position on Friday.

Then, in the early hours of Saturday, the RFEF responded fiercely to the player's statement, announced it would pursue legal action "in defence of the honour" of Rubiales and also published four photographs which it said "conclusively" contradicted Jenni Hermosa's version of events.