Former Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales is scheduled to provide testimony in court on Friday as part of an ongoing investigation related to his kissing of Jennifer Hermoso.
Rubiales has been summoned to appear before a Spanish court following the initiation of a case against him by prosecutors, who are examining allegations of “sexual assault and coercion.”
“It is agreed that the testimony will be heard, in the context of being a suspect, with legal assistance, of LUIS MANUEL RUBIALES BÉJAR next Friday, September 15, at 12 p.m., before this central court of investigation,” a statement from judge Luis Francisco de Jorge read.
Luis Rubiales has faced criticism since he kissed Jennifer Hermoso following Spain’s World Cup final triumph over England. Rubiales has maintained that the kiss was consensual, but Hermoso has a different perspective and lodged a complaint with Spanish authorities against him.
As a result of the controversy, the 46-year-old was suspended from his position as RFEF president by FIFA. He initially resisted stepping down but eventually announced his resignation last week.
During Rubiales’ tenure, more than 80 Spanish players pledged to boycott the national team, and a majority of the coaching staff resigned. This led to the dismissal of head coach Jorge Vilda by the new president, Pedro Rocha.
The Sports Administrative Court (TAD) in Spain ruled that Rubiales’ kiss on Hermoso was a “serious” but not “very serious” offence.
After the ruling, Rubiales released a defiant statement, saying: “I will continue to defend myself to prove the truth. I want to send a message to all good people in our country and beyond our borders, including those women who have really been attacked and who have my full support and understanding: this isn’t about gender, it’s real.”
He added: “Justice is applied to people without gender having to previously determine the result. I feel that I have been judged unfairly by the media and politicians. This should never happen to anyone again.”
Last week, the RFEF issued an apology over Rubiales’ conduct, saying the saga has caused “enormous” damage to “Spanish football, to Spanish sport, to Spanish society and to the values of football”.