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Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation, will appear before a judge on Friday over a sexual assault complaint over his kissing of Gheni Hermoso.
The accident occurred on the winners’ stand in the World Cup final, which Spain won over England last month in Sydney.
Rubiales (46 years old) confirmed that the kiss was mutual and consensual. After weeks of resisting calls to step down as president of the Spanish Football Federation, Rubiales, already suspended by FIFA, resigned on September 10.
But last week, prosecutor Marta Dorantez Gil filed a complaint with the Supreme Court against Rubiales after Hermoso told prosecutors that Rubiales kissed her on the mouth without her consent while holding her head with both hands.
The prosecutor added the possible crime of coercion after Hermoso said she and her relatives were pressured by Rubiales and his entourage to say she “justified what happened and agreed to it.”
Judge Francisco de Jorge is in charge of the investigation and will decide whether the case will go to trial. If he does so, Rubiales could face between one and four years in prison if found guilty.
De Jorge ordered several media outlets, including the state broadcaster, to send footage of the incident and subsequent videos of it, such as the video with the players celebrating on the bus with Rubiales and a reference to the kiss in what appeared to be a light-hearted manner. The investigation may take several months.
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World Cup winner Alexia Putellas has urged organizations in and out of the game to show “courage and leadership” to prevent women from being abused or disrespected.
Friday’s session will be behind closed doors.
Spain’s players went on strike in the wake of the Rubiales incident, insisting they would not return until the Spanish Football Federation’s hierarchy changed.
After Spain sacked coach Jorge Villeda, who had been the subject of complaints even before the World Cup started, the players announced on Thursday that their strike had ended following news of Rubiales’ resignation.
Wegman: It’s time to move on, and the players need to be listened to
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England manager Sarina Wigman said she was confident there would be a good outcome regarding the ongoing dispute over the Lionesses’ wages and bonuses, but raised concerns about the fixture schedule.
England coach Sarina Wegman said it was time to move on from the Rubiales incident and celebrate Spain’s players for winning the World Cup. The England coach also said that one of the learning points from this incident is the need to listen to the players.
“What I want to talk about now is that we should celebrate football and we should celebrate the Spanish players who won the World Cup. We haven’t talked about that at all.
“Of course, we have all seen and followed the news that it is still ongoing, and I have to leave that now to the people working on it.
“Players have to be listened to and we have to move forward. The women’s game has improved a lot but there is still a long way to go.
He added: “Not only in Spain, but everywhere, there are many great players and athletes who face a lot of challenges, and we all have to work together, stay connected and try to make the world better for these players.”
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