Disgraced former Spanish football president Luis Rubiales had eggs thrown at him during his book launch… by a man believed to be his own uncle.
Rubiales kissed Spanish footballer Jenni Hermoso during Spain’s World Cup final celebrations in 2023 without her consent.
Earlier this year, the Spaniard was fined €10,800 (£8,935) fine and handed a restraining order after being found guilty of sexually assaulting Hermoso.
The 48-year-old was on stage at an event in Madrid on Thursday when a member of the audience began throwing eggs in his direction.
Rubiales raced forward to confront his assailant before being held back by members of the crowd.
Speaking to Radio Marca after the incident, the former head of Spanish football confirmed the man was his uncle, who has ‘always been a trouble maker.’
Rubiales also believed the man ‘had a weapon’ in his hands.
‘He was carrying eggs and throwing them at me, but I didn’t know what he had in his hands and when I saw him, I thought he had a weapon. So I ran quickly towards him.’
Rubiales added: ‘We were lucky that they stopped me. I didn’t know what this man had in his hand, I didn’t know if he had a weapon.
‘I saw a pregnant woman, who is my friend Paco’s wife, with two small children, right where he was standing with something in his hand, and I thought about the children. If I had grabbed him, we would be in a different situation.’
Marca report the man is also named Luis Rubiales, his father’s younger brother.
Rubiales resigned from his position as the president of the Spanish Football Federation in September 2023 almost a month after the World Cup final.
He was subsequently handed a three-year ban by FIFA from all football activities.
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