CNN
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The mother of Spain’s beleaguered soccer boss Luis Rubiales, who went on a hunger strike in support of her son earlier this week, was taken to hospital after being “depressed and dizzy,” according to a local priest.
Ángeles Béjar locked herself in the Divina Pastora church in her hometown of Motril, in southern Spain, on Monday to protest the treatment of her son after he was suspended by FIFA for forcibly kissing a player at the World Cup Jennifer Hermoso in the final.
A priest of the church, who identified himself as Father Antonio, told reporters that Béjar was taken to hospital on Wednesday.
“I have to tell you that he has a crisis, he is getting worse and they need to take him to the hospital immediately,” said Father Antonio from outside the church.
“That’s why she’s not here anymore, she has to leave the hospital because the woman is tired and has a lot of issues, even some anemic issues so she has to leave.”
Béjar felt “depressed and dizzy,” and complained of irregularities in his heartbeat, Father Antonio said.
He said his son, Rubiales, spoke to his mother before she was taken to the hospital.
“His son [Luis Rubiales] called her, she called and they are in contact. And among them all [the family] they decided that he should go to the hospital,” said Father Antonio.
A friend of Rubiales’ mother previously told CNN Portugal that she had recently been “in poor health,” but thought she would likely “continue to the end” of her hunger strike.
Béjar had previously said her purpose was to protest what she called the “inhumane, bloodthirsty hunt” against her son, according to Spanish media reports.
CNN Portugal reported from the church earlier this week and spoke to a friend of Rubiales’ mother, who described the backlash against Rubiales as “an injustice”.
“I don’t think this man committed a sexual assault as they say. That seems pretty strong to me,” the friend said.
Spain defeated England in the final of the World Cup earlier this month but the team’s victory was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Rubiales and the anger of the women’s team against his leadership.
Rubiales admitted that he made a mistake in kissing Hermoso but admitted that the act was consensual. Hermoso insisted that she did not give her permission to be kissed and felt violated by Rubiales’ actions.
Rubiales was suspended by FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, over the weekend. Under the terms of the suspension, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) appointed an interim president to replace Rubiales during the 90 days he is banned from participating in all football-related activities.
On Monday, all 19 regional presidents of the soccer federation called for Rubiales to resign while offering unanimous support for interim president Pedro Rocha.
The pressure on Rubiales to resign as president of the RFEF intensified as he vehemently refused during a speech at the federation’s Extraordinary General Assembly last Friday, promising to “fight until the end.”
Spanish prosecutors are considering whether to press charges of sexual assault against Rubiales.
He has also faced continued criticism from players, politicians, union officials and even the United Nations, with protesters taking to the streets of Madrid on Monday to raise calls for his resignation.
“We are all very angry about this because all women suffer some kind of abuse,” Paloma Torres, a 29-year-old lawyer who protested against Rubiales in Madrid told CNN on Monday .