Spain and Tigres forward Jennifer Hermoso has testified against former RFEF President Luis Rubiales on two offences, after he was accused of sexual assault and coercion by the public prosecutor.
An incident that sparked an internal cleaning of house at the Spanish Football Federation, Rubiales kissed Hermoso without her consent on camera during Spain‘s World Cup celebrations, before lating applying pressure to Hermoso, her family, and other Spain players to make a public statement saying the kiss was consented.
Rubiales was subsequently banned by FIFA and the Ministry for Sport from footballing activities for three years, but also has a legal case to answer to now. Having heard testimony from a number of witnesses and Rubiales himself, Hermoso today gave evidence against Rubiales, who could face up to six years in prison if he is found guilty of sexual assault and coercion. El Periodico (via Sport) have confirmed that Hermoso told the court that Rubiales without her consent, and then put pressure on her to deny the fact.
Jenni Hermoso testified against Luis Rubiales in court today.
She confirmed that Rubiales kissed her without her consent, before pressuring her into a public statement absolving him of guilt. pic.twitter.com/JJX5ocwM8N
— Football España (@footballespana_) January 2, 2024
In her original police statement, Hermoso said the following.
“The next thing was, his hands on my head and then I didn’t hear anything else. I saw myself be kissed on the mouth and I immediately went down to the stage with my colleagues. I didn’t expect it all.”
“At no time could I expect something like this to happen in the end (…) From a trusted person, I think no one would expect that he would use that moment to do something like that, no matter how spontaneous it was.”
Rubiales says that he is innocent of all charges, that the kiss was consented after he asked Hermoso whether he could kiss her. He claims that it was an orchestrated campaign to remove himself from power and then coach Jorge Vilda from his position.
