Trial of Spain’s ex-football chief Luis Rubiales over forced kiss ends
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Former president of the Spanish football federation Luis Rubiales is accused of sexual assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso in 2023.
PHOTO: AFP
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MADRID – The trial of Spain’s former football chief Luis Rubiales over the forced kiss he gave star forward Jenni Hermoso wrapped up on Feb 14, with a verdict expected in several weeks.
Rubiales is accused of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso in 2023 following Spain’s triumph at the Women’s World Cup in Australia, as well as coercion for allegedly trying to convince her to downplay the incident afterwards.
The global outcry over the kiss forced him to resign in disgrace and thrust the spotlight on the prevalence of macho culture and sexism in sport.
Hermoso, 34, says she did not consent to the kiss while Rubiales, 47, denies wrongdoing and says it was consensual.
“With this, believe it or not, we are done,” Judge Jose Manuel Fernandez-Prieto told the court in San Fernando de Henares near Madrid after Rubiales and the three other accused declined their right to make a final statement.
Prosecutors are seeking 2½ years in prison for Rubiales, one year for sexual assault and 18 months for the alleged coercion of Hermoso.
Ex-women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda and two former federation officials also stand accused of trying to coerce Hermoso, with prosecutors seeking 18 months’ jail for them.
Equality Minister Ana Redondo said on Feb 14 she hoped there would be “a sentence in line with Spanish legislation” following her government’s sexual consent law, “which directly calls out patriarchy and macho culture”.
Hermoso told the opening day of the trial on Feb 3 she felt “disrespected” after a non-consensual kiss that “should not happen in any social or work setting”. Her teammates have also described under oath how she cried and felt “overwhelmed” following the incident.
Rubiales told the court on Feb 11 he was “totally sure” Hermoso consented to the kiss, which was broadcast live around the world, and denied putting pressure on her after the incident.
While his behaviour was “inappropriate” it was not “criminal”, his lawyer Olga Tubau said during her closing arguments, calling the kiss an “expression of uncontrollable joy”.
Video images of Hermoso celebrating and drinking champagne with her teammates in the changing room shortly after the incident prove the player was not upset by the kiss, she added.
Public prosecutor Marta Durantez Gil rejected this argument on Feb 12 during her closing arguments in which she also said there was “no doubt” the kiss was “non-consensual”.
Rubiales resigned in September 2023 after Fifa suspended him and Spanish prosecutors opened an investigation into alleged sexual assault. He had been federation chief since 2018. AFP
