BBC News use Pablo Zabaleta clip instead of Spanish FA lookalike Luis Rubiales
BBC News have made a huge gaffe by showing footage of Manchester City legend Pablo Zabaleta instead of Spanish FA chief Luis Rubiales during a bulletin regarding his controversial World Cup kiss.
Rubiales has been suspended from all football activity by FIFA after he planted a kiss on the lips of Spain star Jenni Hermoso during the trophy presentation after the World Cup final. The incident has descended into a saga since then with Rubiales' mother even going on hunger strike in protest against what she calls a "witch-hunt" against her son.
But while Rubiales insists the kiss was "mutual" and "consensual", Hermoso has denied his claims, leaving his reputation in tatters and Spain's Football Federation (RFEF) in disarray. Now poor, unassuming City icon Zabaleta has been dragged into the mix after a clear error by the BBC.
READ MORE: Spanish FA creep Luis Rubiales is Hamilton Accies flop who quit Scotland after four games
Reporter Lewis Vaughan Jones tackled the incident first on a midday bulletin to deliver the news that the RFEF were calling an urgent meeting to discuss the situation regarding Rubiales. After first showing a picture of the kiss, the footage then switched to a clip of Zabaleta – who bears a resemblance to Rubiales – walking and chatting to a female peer, as Vaughan Jones explained – in what was a clear error – how "he kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips".
Daily Star have contacted both the BBC and Zabaleta for comment.
The RFEF have a number of problems mounting up in the fallout to Rubiales' kiss after the entire World Cup-winning squad refused to play for their country again unless there was a change of leadership. All of the coaching staff except for manager Jorge Vilda have resigned from the posts.
Rubiales claims he asked Hermoso if he could give her "a little kiss" and claims she agreed. But Hermoso dismissed his comments as false in a statement, which read: "I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-driven, sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part," she said in a statement.
"I want to make it clear that at no time did the conversation to which Mr. Luis Rubiales refers to in his address take place, and, above all, was his kiss ever consensual. I want to reiterate as I did before that I did not like this incident."
The RFEF have stood by their president and vowed to take legal action against Hermoso after accusing her of lying. Rubiales' mother is now protesting in defence of her son and locked herself in a local church on Monday morning.
“They’re doing to my son something he doesn’t deserve," Angeles Bejar told reporters: "There’s no sexual aggression because there was consent by both parties. My son is incapable of harming anyone.
"As a mother I ask everyone for their understanding as this is a situation that could affect anyone.”
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