Luis Rubiales, the former president of Spain’s football federation (RFEF), has been summoned to testify before a Spanish judge in connection with an incident at the Women’s World Cup. Judge Francisco de Jorge has ordered Rubiales to appear at Spain’s National Court in Madrid to answer questions. This move follows an incident where Rubiales kissed Spain’s forward, Jenni Hermoso, during the podium ceremony after their victory over England in Sydney, Australia. Rubiales asserted that the kiss was consensual, but Hermoso has denied this.
Recently, Spanish state prosecutors formally accused Rubiales of alleged sexual assault and an act of coercion. It was claimed that he pressured Hermoso to defend him immediately after the scandal emerged. In response, Rubiales announced his resignation from the position he had already been provisionally suspended from by FIFA.
Judge de Jorge is conducting a preliminary investigation into the accusations against Rubiales and will determine whether the case should proceed to trial. If found guilty of sexual assault under Spain’s new sexual consent law, Rubiales could face fines or a prison sentence ranging from one to four years, as the law no longer distinguishes between “sexual harassment” and “sexual assault,” penalizing any non-consensual sexual act.