SportFace update on the situation Luis Rubiales. Everything is ready for the start of the trial ordered by the judge of the Audiencia Nacional Francisco de Jorge against the former president of Spanish Football Federation. The accusation is of having kissed, on the sidelines of the awards ceremony of the Women’s World Cup, Jennifer Hermoso, a footballer for the Spain Women’s team, without the girl’s consent. The charges are those of sexual assault and intimidation, given that he pressured her to declare that her kiss was consensual.
Also indicted for intimidation were the former sporting director of the Spanish men’s national team, Albert Luque, the former coach of the women’s national team, Jorge Vilda, and the former marketing manager of the Football Federation, Ruben Rivera. Rubiales will also have to pay 130 thousand euros as bail within 24 hours for damages among the accused.
Two and a half years in prison were requested by the public prosecution, with Jennifer Hermoso and the AFE acting as civil parties. The trial does not yet have an official date, but the footballer also requests a restraining order for Rubiales to come within 500 meters for 8 years and civil liability damages of 50,000 euros. The accused will have 10 days to submit their defense briefs.
The prosecutor described the conduct of the former president of the RFEF as “surprising and without consent or acceptance” on the part of Jennifer Hermoso when, during the presentation of the gold medal of the World Championship, he “squeezed her head” with both hands and “He gave her a kiss on the mouth.” And it accuses the former president of the Football Federation of having “exerted constant and repeated pressure” on the footballer and her family environment so that she “justified and approved” the kiss, as we read on SportFace.
Rubiales is also under investigation by the Court of Majadahonda (Madrid) for the crimes of corruption in business, unfair administration and money laundering. All eyes are on alleged irregularities in the contracts signed by the Spanish Football Federation during Rubiales’ presidency: among these the transfer of the Super Cup to Saudi Arabia also stands out.