Former RFEF President Luis Rubiales has refused to apologise for kissing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso without her consent, after more of his interview with Piers Morgan was released on Tuesday evening.
Rubiales has since stepped down from his position, claiming it would be impossible for him to continue in his position.
“I think it has been a snowball effect, due to various interests, some of them spurious, against me,” Cadena Cope reported.
Luis Rubiales tells Piers Morgan he "100 percent" would have hugged and kissed male football players in the same way he did the Spanish women's team.@piersmorgan | @TalkTV | #PMU pic.twitter.com/lwx9Y3xFKd
— Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) September 12, 2023
“What happened is bad for everyone. And I repeat that I was there, it was a fleeting kiss in a context of joy.”
He continues to insist that incident was of no importance.
“Anecdotal. I have my version [of events]; if other people change their version, it’s none of my business.”
This is not factually correct. Hermoso has never publicly declared that kiss was consented, with the RFEF releasing a statement on her behalf that evening that was not her words. Equally, Hermoso has never wavered from her version of events communicated in statements via FUTPRO and her agency TMJ.
Rubiales also maintains he would have done the same with a man, which equally would have been an abuse of power. The day after the events occurred, Rubiales apologised if anyone was hurt by the kiss, saying it was a mistake on his part.
Currently Rubiales is facing charges of sexual assault and coercion, after he pressured Hermoso, her family, and Spain captain Ivana Andres to appear publicly alongside him about the incident. Vero Boquete has also declared that Hermoso’s phone has since been hacked and material leaked.
He has been called to testify by a judge this Friday, after the public prosecutor opened an investigation and presented evidence to a judge last week.
