Thomas Koex/AFP via Getty Images
Luis Rubiales will leave the Court of Audiencia Nacional in Madrid on September 15, 2023.
CNN
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Spanish prosecutors are seeking a two-year and six-month prison sentence for former head football manager Luis Rubiales, who kissed star forward Jennifer Hermoso unwillingly after the team won the World Cup.
The Ministry of Public Affairs has accused Rubiales, the disgraced former president of Spain's Royal Football Federation (RFEF), of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso “without her consent or consent,” according to an indictment obtained by CNN. was formally charged.
The kiss was broadcast on television around the world, and the scandal overshadowed a historic moment for Spain's women's team as they celebrated their first World Cup victory.
Mr. Rubiales, then RFEF president, was seen kissing Mr. Hermoso on the lips and then slapping him twice on the back, sparking an immediate global outcry over the consent.
He was initially suspended by world soccer governing body FIFA, but resigned after refusing to do so for several weeks.
Rubiales said the kiss was “mutual,” but Hermoso strongly denied the claim and said he was facing “undue persecution” from authorities.
In addition to a prison sentence, prosecutors are also seeking two years of supervised release, a four-year ban on contact or coming within 200 meters of Hermoso, and $54,100 in restitution.
Prosecutors also alleged that former Spanish women's soccer coach Jorge Vilda, Spain national team coach Alberto Luque, and RFEF marketing director Ruben Rivera pressured Hermoso to justify the kiss. I was accused of
All four are also being asked to pay Hermoso an additional $54,100 in compensation.
CNN has reached out to defense attorneys and Hermoso's attorney for comment.
02:39 – Source: CNN
Luis Rubiales resigns as president of the Spanish Football Federation after weeks of backlash
Court prosecutors said in an earlier statement after their respective hearings that Rubiales and the other three defendants had each denied the charges in their preliminary testimony.
Public outcry over the unwanted kiss and Rubiales' staunch defense has come from all sectors of Spanish society, including politicians and athletes.
The incident has also sparked debate about the prevalence of a “macho culture” in Spain, which has seen mass protests against sexual violence and gender discrimination in recent years.
Rubiales' initial refusal to resign also sparked great solidarity among Spain's women's players.
The coaches of Spain's women's team have resigned en masse, and more than 80 Spanish soccer players have joined a statement supporting Hermoso, saying they will not return to the national team “if the current coach continues in his post.” said.
As the unrest dragged on, several soccer teams, both men's and women's, showed their support for Hermoso at games, with some wearing shirts, some wearing wristbands, and some unfurling banners.
In September last year, World Cup winning coach Wilda was also fired.
Wilda was filmed inappropriately touching a female staff member during the Women's World Cup final. She was replaced by Montse Tomé, the first female player in the history of the Spanish national team.
