Spanish state prosecutors have initiated legal proceedings against Luis Rubiales, accusing him of sexual assault and coercion following an incident in which he kissed a player without her consent after the Women’s World Cup final. The prosecutors’ office in Spain confirmed this development on Friday, September 8.
Rubiales, who was the president of the Spanish soccer federation but is now suspended from his position, kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the awards ceremony after Spain’s victory over England in the final on August 20 in Sydney, Australia.
The lawsuit was presented to Spain’s National Court in Madrid shortly after Hermoso formally accused Rubiales of sexual assault. According to a sexual consent law introduced the previous year, Rubiales could potentially face a fine or a prison term ranging from one to four years if convicted of sexual assault.
The prosecutors also suggested that Rubiales may have engaged in an act of coercion, as Hermoso claimed he pressured her to defend him immediately after the scandal surrounding his behavior broke out. Rubiales maintains that the kiss was consensual, while Hermoso and her players’ union have denied this.
Prosecutors have requested that Rubiales be summoned to appear before a court to provide preliminary testimony. If the National Court judge agrees to proceed, it will lead to a formal court investigation that could result in a recommendation to either dismiss the case or proceed to trial.
Hermoso was given a 15-day timeframe to formally accuse Rubiales of sexual assault by kissing her without consent, which she did by filing the complaint at the Spanish State Prosecution Service headquarters in Madrid. Without her formal complaint, state prosecutors would not have been able to pursue charges against Rubiales.
Hermoso has described the kiss as an impulsive, inappropriate, and non-consensual act on her part. Rubiales, who previously apologized for his behavior during post-match celebrations, has argued that the kiss was the result of mutual enthusiasm and that there was no aggression or discomfort involved.
