Jenni Hermoso, a key player on Spain’s victorious Women’s World Cup team, testified that she did not consent to a kiss from former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales during the victory celebrations. The incident sparked outrage and led to Rubiales’ trial for sexual assault.
In a highly publicized trial in Madrid, former president of Spain ’s Football Federation Luis Rubiales is accused of sexual assault for kissing player Jenni Hermoso during the victory celebration of the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Hermoso, the star player for Spain ’s national women’s team, testified that she did not consent to the kiss and felt pressured to publicly support Rubiales after the incident.
She described feeling disrespected and stated that the kiss marred one of the happiest days of her life. Rubiales, who denies the charges, claims the kiss was consensual and occurred during a moment of jubilation. The prosecution, along with Hermoso and Spain’s players’ association, is seeking a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales, a 50,000 euro ($51,800) payment in damages, and a ban from working as a sports official. Hermoso stated that Rubiales never asked for her permission to kiss her and that she was caught off guard by the incident. She detailed how Rubiales grabbed her by the ears and kissed her without her consent. Rubiales faces a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty.The trial, expected to last at least 10 days, has garnered significant attention worldwide. Numerous witnesses are scheduled to testify, including Spain’s men’s national team coach Luis de la Fuente and several of Hermoso’s teammates. Others on trial include Spain’s former 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. They are accused of pressuring Hermoso to publicly defend Rubiales in a statement following the incident, which she refused to do. The incident has overshadowed Spain’s historic achievement in winning the Women's World Cup and sparked widespread protests and condemnation
Spain Women's World Cup Luis Rubiales Jenni Hermoso Sexual Assault Trial Football Federation
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