Former Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales faces trial on sexual assault charges for kissing player Jenni Hermoso after the 2023 Women's World Cup. The case has sparked a major scandal in Spanish soccer, leading to Rubiales' resignation and FIFA ban.
The former president of the Spanish soccer federation, Luis Rubiales, is facing trial on Monday, accused of sexual assault for kissing forward Jenni Hermoso after Spain's victory at the Women's World Cup final in 2023. The kiss, which Hermoso stated was non-consensual, overshadowed the team's historic achievement and ignited one of the most significant scandals in Spanish soccer history.
Rubiales also performed an inappropriate gesture during the celebrations, grabbing his crotch while standing near Spain's Queen Letizia and Princess Sofia. He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, claiming the kiss was consensual and characterizing the accusations as a 'witch hunt' by 'false feminists.' Despite his denials, Rubiales was forced to resign from his position and received a ban from FIFA. The 47-year-old faces charges of sexual assault and attempting to coerce Hermoso into publicly supporting him. A judge ruled that Rubiales' kiss was 'unconsented and carried out unilaterally and in a surprising fashion.' If found guilty, Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence ranging from one to four years. Prosecutors, Hermoso, and Spain's players' association are seeking a prison sentence of two and a half years for Rubiales, along with a 50,000 euro payment for damages and a ban from working in sports. Hermoso has also requested a court order prohibiting Rubiales from approaching her.The trial will also involve three other individuals accused of pressuring Hermoso to defend Rubiales: former Spain women's national team coach Jorge Vilda, former sports director of Spain's men's team Albert Luque, and the federation's former head of marketing, Rubén Rivera. All three deny any wrongdoing. The judge found sufficient evidence to suggest that Rubiales unsuccessfully pressured Hermoso to appear in a video he produced and released while public outrage over his actions intensified. There are also indications that Vilda pressured Hermoso's brother, while Luque and Rivera were allegedly involved in the attempt to coerce Hermoso into supporting her disgraced boss. Prosecutors, Hermoso, and Spain's players' association are seeking a one and a half-year prison sentence for each of these defendants.The trial is expected to last at least 10 days, with Hermoso scheduled to testify on the first day. Nearly 20 witnesses are expected to be called, including Spain's men's national team coach Luis de la Fuente and some of Hermoso's teammates, such as former world player of the year Alexia Putellas. Rubiales is required to attend only the first and last days of the trial. The four defendants are anticipated to present their statements towards the end of the trial next week, with Rubiales' daughters also scheduled to testify at some point. Despite the scandal, Rubiales' influence within Spanish soccer remains significant. He was instrumental in overhauling the format of the Spanish Super Cup in 2020, creating a four-team mini-tournament and moving it to Saudi Arabia in a deal reportedly worth 40 million euros per tournament. Prosecutors launched an investigation into this deal in 2022 following leaked audio between Rubiales and then-Barcelona player Gerard Piqué regarding millions of dollars in commissions. Piqué's sports entertainment company Kosmos was involved in the deal with the federation and Saudi Arabia. Both parties deny any wrongdoing
LUIS RUBIALES SEXUAL ASSAULT JENNI HERMOSO SPANISH SOCCER FEDERATION FIFA WOMEN's WORLD CUP SPORTS SCANDAL
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