Laurence Dollimore
By Laurence Dollimore in Motril and Walter Finch
THIS stunning villa on the Costa Tropical of Granada boasts breathtaking sea and mountain views, an infinity pool and three cascading sun terraces.
But it has one more claim to fame that will not be found among the string of flawless reviews left by happy punters on its online listings.
Because this is the locale where embattled Spanish football boss Luis Rubiales allegedly held a sex party with fellow delegates from the Spanish FA.
The party, attended by bigwigs of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, had allegedly, ‘eight to 10 young girls’ bussed in by a friend of Rubiales.
The series of wild nights, which went on until 6am and broke Covid rules, was anything but popular with angry neighbours, the Olive Press can reveal.
“I remember when he was here, the noise was crazy,” one neighbour told the Olive Press today.
“Boom, boom, boom until the early hours, there was lots of music, drinking and lots of girls.
“I could hear them all laughing and partying until five or six in the morning. They were here for a couple of days.”
The local, who only gave her name as Maria, said the property is owned by an Italian businesswoman.
She added: “It was during the Covid pandemic and it was annoying but we did not call the police because that’s not the kind of neighbours we are.”
A local Spanish estate agent, who asked not to be named added: ‘This is an exclusive neighbourhood where Luis knows he is not going to get into any trouble.
“His family are so well known and loved here, they hold a lot of influence.”
The stunning property, aptly named Villa Luxury Paradise, is nestled in the hills of the exclusive neighbourhood of Salobrena, just a few miles from Motril, Granada, where Rubiales was born and raised.
But now the high-flying president of the RFEF has run aground, being suspended by FIFA over the ‘non-consensual’ kiss he planted on footballer Jenni Hermoso following their victory in the Women’s World Cup final.
Last year his own uncle, Juan Rubiales, told an anti-corruption trial in Madrid that Luis had illegally used RFEF funds to rent a luxury villa for an ‘orgy’.
Luis denied the claims, insisting the stunning villa was used to host a work meeting and that there had simply been ‘a barbecue and a paella with people of different genders.’
Juan Rubiales told the court that his mission was to ‘make life easy for the president, which meant organising and coordinating trips, agenda, institutional relations and organisation of the board of directors, etc.’
The former press officer of RFEF said the rental of the luxury villa was ‘solely for the enjoyment of him (Luis) and his closest team, paying the expenses with company cards from the RFEF.’
He added at the hearing that “a group of eight or ten young girls were invited by the former soccer player and friend of Nene (Francisco Javier Martin Alcaide).”
Luis himself later insisted that RFEF funds were not used to pay for the villa, but that an employee stumped up the cash personally, and everyone who attended paid them back later.
However, the roll call of powerful figures lining up against Rubiales has grown after even his own officials within the RFEF called on him to resign.
The heads of the regional bodies that make up the federation made the request in a collective statement following an extraordinary general meeting yesterday afternoon.
“After the latest developments and the unacceptable behaviour that has caused great damage to the image of Spanish soccer, the presidents request that Luis Rubiales resign immediately as president of the RFEF,” the statement said.
Meanwhile Angeles Bejar, Luis Rubiales’ retired hairdresser mother, announced on Monday that she was going on hunger strike until the ‘inhuman witch hunt’ against her son is ended.
She has even barricaded herself into a church in Motril, with her strike now heading towards its third day.
READ MORE:
- Protests and counter protests across Spain as Luis Rubiales sexism controversy rumbles on
- Finally: Spain’s Football Federation calls on under-fire chairman Luis Rubiales to quit
- The sordid and sleazy story behind the rise of Spanish Football Federation chief Luis Rubiales
- Mother of beleaguered Spanish Football Federation chairman Luis Rubiales goes on hunger strike
