Luis Rubiales' mother is admitted to hospital on third day of hunger strike over 'Kissgate' scandal
The elderly mother of Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales has been on a hunger strike protesting her son's suspension following the explosive kiss-gate scandal
The mother of shamed Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales has been rushed to hospital just two days into her hunger strike.
72-year-old Angeles Bejar, who is a retired hairdresser, launched her hunger strike on Monday at a church in the Costa resort of Motril near Malaga in response to her son's suspension.
Rubiales is under investigation after kissing Spanish footballer Jenni Hermoso on the lips as the team were celebrating their Women's World Cup final victory over England earlier this month.
His mother told a Spanish TV station in a dramatic WhatsApp exchange that she is prepared to die in order to clear her son's name, insisting: "I will stay here as long as my body holds out. I don’t mind dying for justice because my son is a decent person and it’s not fair what they’re doing."
News of her hospitalisation was announced on Wednesday evening by the parish priest of the church in which Bejar locked herself in as he was explaining why the scheduled press conference she was due to hold had been suddenly cancelled.
"She had not been feeling well because of the heat and everything else," he told reporters. "Her feet had become swollen and she was very tired. She had also become very nervous."
Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales's mother (pictured) has been rushed to hospital two days into her hunger strike (Image: Alba Feixas/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock) |
It's understood that Bejar will not return to the church, even if she recovers.
Rubiales, who has been suspended from all footballing activities for 90 days by FIFA, travelled to Motril for a holiday on Saturday, despite the town hall’s cancellation of a football match he was due to take part in with friends at a municipal stadium for 'security reasons'.
He is said to have met with some of his pals at a country house just outside of town on Saturday afternoon, but has not been seen in public since he shocked the world by refusing to resign at a Spanish FA extraordinary general assembly last Friday.
A friend claimed Luis had been unable to contact his mother and was "very worried" about her, prior to news of her hospitalisation.
"He’s very worried, he’s having a terrible day because he hasn’t been able to speak with her and he’s feeling terrible. He doesn’t know what to do because for him his mother is the most important person in the world and she’s in that church. He can’t communicate with her or do anything with her."