The former president of the Spanish soccer federation, Luis Rubiales, is facing charges of sexual assault and coercion after a kiss he allegedly gave to national soccer player Jennifer Hermoso without her consent. This follows a ruling by a High Court judge in Madrid who accepted the case.
The incident occurred after Spain’s World Cup victory last year. Rubiales has denied any wrongdoing and claims that he had received consent from Hermoso. However, Hermoso has previously stated that she did not give her consent and felt disrespected by Rubiales. Despite apologizing for his actions, the case will proceed with a trial.
The Public Ministry in Spain has formally accused Rubiales of sexual assault for this incident. The court will also try former women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda, the team’s current sporting director Albert Luque, and the federation’s head of marketing Ruben Rivera. They are all accused of coercing Hermoso into stating that the kiss was consensual.
Bail amounts have been set for those involved in the case: a separate bail amount for Rubiales’ sexual assault charge and a joint bail amount for all accused individuals for the coercion charge. The trial is expected to begin soon.