FIFA
Rubiales to appear in court over Hermoso kiss
Former Spanish Football Federation head Luis Rubiales is scheduled to appear in court on Friday for his kiss on Spain forward Jenni Hermoso.
Hermoso filed a judicial lawsuit last week after Rubiales kissed her on the lips after her country won the Women’s World Cup final on August 20.
A high court judge has summoned Rubiales to respond to allegations of sexual assault and coercion.
He is scheduled to appear before a magistrate at 12:00 p.m. local time (11:00 a.m. BST).
Hermoso, 33, said the kiss was not consensual; however, Rubiales claimed it was “mutual” and “consensual” and defended his behaviour again in an interview with Piers Morgan that aired on Talk TV on Tuesday.
Rubiales resigned as president of the Spanish FA on Sunday as a result of the issue, as well as his role as vice president of UEFA’s executive council.
Hermoso filed a sexual assault case, but this week prosecutor Marta Durantez Gil added a coercion allegation after the forward disclosed that Rubiales and his “professional entourage” persuaded some of her family to declare she “justified and approved what happened.”
On Monday, National Court Judge Francisco de Jorge accepted the complaint and ordered a magistrate to investigate the case.
After conducting an inquiry, the magistrate will either suggest that the case be tried or dismissed.
Jorge also requested that video footage of the event from Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE be submitted as evidence, as well as recordings of the team’s celebrations published online by Spanish newspapers El Pais, AS, and La Vanguardia.
The aftermath of the kiss has consumed Spanish football in recent weeks, overshadowing Spain’s World Cup victory, with Rubiales defying numerous requests to resign before finally stepping down on Sunday.
Under Spanish law, a charge of sexual assault can result in a fine or up to four years in prison.
“I believe in the truth and will do everything in my power to ensure its triumph,” Rubiales stated in an open letter published on Sunday.
On August 25, Pachuca player Hermoso issued a lengthy post on social media claiming that the kiss was not “consensual.”
“I feel compelled to report this incident because I believe that no one, in any work, sports, or social setting, should be the victim of such non-consensual behaviour. “I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulsive, sexist, out-of-place act committed without my consent,” she continued.
“Quite simply, I was not respected.”
81 Spanish players, including all 23 World Cup winners, indicated they would not play for Spain again while Rubiales was in charge.
On September 5, World Cup-winning manager Jorge Vilda, a close ally of Rubiales, was fired, and Montse Tome was appointed as his replacement.
Rubiales previously apologized for the kiss but stated that there was “no harm, no sexual content, no aggression, nothing of the sort.”
However, when Morgan asked if he would directly apologize to Hermoso, he refused.
“What happened is bad for everyone,” Rubiales stated.
“Jenni was lifting me. We had a brief kiss—two tenths of a second—but what followed was insane.
“All that remains for me to do is defend my dignity. So, Piers, it’s not about that [the apology], it’s about humility.”
When asked if he wanted to apologize again, Rubiales said, “So what we had was a spontaneous act, a mutual act, an act that both consented to, which was driven by the emotion of the moment, happiness, so I maintain that that is the truth of what happened.”
