Former Spanish soccer president Luis Rubiales will stand trial for kissing forward Jenni Hermoso without her consent during the Women's World Cup, an investigating judge announced Thursday.
After an investigation, Judge Francisco de Jorge ruled that Rubiales' kiss was “non-consensual, unilateral and in a surprising manner,” the court said.
State prosecutors have accused Mr. Rubiales of sexual assault and of coercing Mr. Hermoso into publicly supporting him in response to public backlash.
Despite initially claiming she was the victim of a campaign led by “fake feminists,” Ms Rubiales was ultimately arrested for her actions at the World Cup awards ceremony in Sydney in August. resigned.
He denies any wrongdoing.
The judge also found that, along with Rubiales, former Spain national team coach Jorge Virda, Spain's men's team sporting director Alberto Luque and the federation's former head of marketing pressured Hermoso to defend Rubiales. The court ruled that Mr. Hermoso should be tried for the crime, but Mr. Hermoso refused.
Reuters
A court date will be set.
Mr. Hermoso testified before a trial judge in January.
The 33-year-old forward is Spain's all-time leading scorer in the Mexican League and enjoys wide support in the country.
Kissing scandal many hope will spur a reckoning sexism in sports.
If convicted, Rubiales could face a fine or one to four years in prison under the Sexual Consent Law passed in 2022, Madrid's public prosecutor's office said.
The new law abolished the distinction between “sexual harassment” and “sexual assault” and sanctioned non-consensual sexual acts.
FIFA suspends Rubiales. 3 years Until after the 2026 Men's World Cup.
His suspension will expire before the next women's tournament in 2027.
Spain's sports authorities also ruled that he was unfit to hold a three-year sports management post.
