Former Spanish soccer manager Luis Rubiales will go on trial for kissing forward Jenni Hermoso without her consent during the final, after tarnishing his country’s Women’s World Cup victory. Judge Francisco de Jorge ruled Thursday that Rubiales’ kiss was “non-consensual, unilateral and done in a surprising manner.” According to the Associated Press, state prosecutors have accused Mr. Rubiales of sexual assault and of trying to coerce Mr. Hermoso into public support due to public backlash. Despite initially claiming she was the victim of a campaign led by “fake feminists,” Ms Rubiales was ultimately arrested for her behavior during the World Cup final awards ceremony in Sydney in August. resigned. He denies any wrongdoing.
Along with Rubiales, the judge also ruled that former Spain national team coach Jorge Vilda: Alberto Luque, sporting director of the Spanish men’s team. Rubén Rivera, the federation’s former marketing director, should also go on trial for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to defend Rubiales, a charge she has refused to take. Hermoso testified before a trial judge this month. The 33-year-old forward is Spain’s all-time top scorer and currently plays in the Mexican League, where he is widely supported in the country. Many hope the kissing scandal will spur a reckoning with sexism in Spanish sports. If convicted, Rubiales could face a fine or one to four years in prison under the Sexual Consent Law passed in 2022, Madrid’s public prosecutor’s office said. The new law eliminates the distinction between “sexual harassment” and “sexual assault,” and all non-consensual sexual acts are sanctioned.
Rubiales, 46, quickly became a national embarrassment after grabbing her crotch in a lewd victory gesture near Spain’s Queen Letizia and Princess Sofia during Spain’s victory celebrations. Hermoso and her teammates refused to continue playing as long as he was in charge, forcing the government to broker an agreement with the federation’s interim president to overhaul the federation’s constitution and provide support for the women’s team. He returned to the team just a few weeks later. This included removing the term “women’s” from the official team name.
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The judge found enough evidence to believe that Mr. Rubiales unsuccessfully pressured Mr. Hermoso to appear in a video he produced and released amidst the growing public uproar against him. The judge said there was reason to believe that Mr. Wilda had similarly pressured Mr. Hermoso’s brother. The judge said Luque and marketing director Rivera were also involved in an alleged attempt to coerce her into supporting her disgraced boss. FIFA has suspended Rubiales for three years, until the end of the 2026 Men’s World Cup. Her suspension will expire by the next women’s tournament in 2027. Spain’s sports authorities also ruled that the player was unsuitable for a three-year sports management position. His trial date has not yet been set.
(Read more stories from Luis Rubiales.)