'The kiss was never consensual!' - Jenni Hermoso sets the record straight while 81 players promise they won't play for Spain until Luis Rubiales is gone

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president has come under fire for grabbing the Spain star and kissing her as he handed out medals to the world champions.

Despite his insistence that he had Hermoso's consent to kiss her, the star has denied that she agreed to it.

Furthermore, she says that she was pressured into saying that she was pressured into making a statement downplaying the incident.

She said in her own statement on Friday: "I feel obliged to report that Mr Rubiales’ words explaining the unfortunate incident are are categorically false and part of the manipulative culture that he himself has generated. The kiss was never consensual. I was asked to make a joint statement to alleviate the pressure but all that was in my mind was to enjoy a historic milestone. Despite my decision, I have been under constant pressure to make a statement to justify Mr Rubiales’ actions."

She added: "The situation shocked me given the celebrations that were taking place at the moment and with the passage of time and after delving a little deeper into those initial feelings, I feel the need to report this incident because I believe that no person, in any work, sports, or social setting should be a victim of these types of non-consensual behaviours. I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse driven, sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part.

"Simply put, I was not respected."

On Friday, the 46-year-old refused to step down as president despite reports that he was due to do so. He went on to assert that a "social assassination" was taking place against him.

However, a huge number of Hermoso's fellow Spain players have pledged their support to the 33-year-old, with a total of 81 of them confirming they will not play for the national team until Rubiales is removed from his position.

A statement released by players' union FutPro said: "As a result of the events that occurred this morning and given the perplexity of the speech delivered by the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Mr. Luis Manuel Rubiales Bejar, the players of the senior team, recent world champions, in support of Jennifer Hermoso, want to express their firm and resounding condemnation of the behaviour that violated the dignity of women."

FutPro continued: "We want to end this statement by asking for real changes, both sporting and structural, that help the National Team to continue growing, in order to transfer this great success to later generations. 

"It fills us with sadness that such an unacceptable event is managing to tarnish the greatest sporting success of Spanish women's football. After everything that happened during the Women's World Cup, we want to state that all the players who sign this letter will not return to a call for the National Team if the current leaders continue."

The statement was signed by all 23 members of Spain's World Cup winning squad, all of whom called for Rubiales to step down, in addition to 58 other footballers.

The Spanish government has begun legal proceedings against Rubiales and FIFA has launched disciplinary actions.