Rubiales is charged with two crimes by Spanish prosecutors.Three more people are said to have forced Hermoso.
According to court documents, Luis Rubiales could receive a two and a half-year prison sentence if found guilty of forcing a kiss on Jenni Hermoso’s lips against her consent. Following the kiss, the former head of the Spanish football federation faces charges of coercion and sexual assault, which carry sentences of one year and eighteen months in prison, respectively..
After Spain defeated England in the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney on August 20, the 46-year-old grabbed Hermoso and planted a kiss on her lips at the awards ceremony. This action sparked outrage throughout the world and sparked a national debate about sexism in Spain. Rubiales maintained that the kiss was consensual and denied any wrongdoing, but Hermoso and her teammates claimed it was unwelcome and humiliating..
The prosecutor, Marta Durántez, also has accused the former women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda; the sporting director of the Spanish federation (RFEF), Albert Luque; and the RFEF’s marketing chief, Rubén Rivera, of coercing Hermoso into saying the kiss was consensual. The indictment said the three officials harassed Hermoso by exerting “constant and repeated acts of pressure” directly on the player and through her friends and family. They could each face 18 months in prison. All three denied wrongdoing when they appeared before the court.
Durántez also said Rubiales should pay €50,000 (£42,843) in damages to Hermoso, with another €50,000 to be jointly paid by Rubiales, Vilda, Luque and Rivera.
In addition, she requested a restraining order barring Rubiales from coming within 200 metres of Hermoso and from communicating with her for the next seven and a half years. If convicted and sentenced as requested by the prosecutor, Rubiales may not necessarily have to serve time behind bars. Spain’s criminal code allows judges to “exceptionally” suspend jail terms if – as in this case – none of the sentences imposed individually exceeds two years.
The Spanish football federation has also promised to conduct a forensic audit of alleged “irregular conduct” by its former president Rubiales. The federation said last week that it was cooperating with the country’s criminal authorities after a raid on its headquarters in relation to a corruption and money‑laundering investigation.
Police were also reported to have raided an apartment in Granada belonging to Rubiales, who was banned from all football activity for three years in October over his misconduct at the World Cup final.
The RFEF issued a statement on Wednesday confirming its management commission will now examine “any type of contract that may be under suspicion due to the actions of its former president, Luis Rubiales.
“The RFEF wants to show its total disassociation with the irregular conduct and actions of its former president and all those who may be involved, as well as emphasise that this institution is far above its leaders. Spanish football is much more than its former presidents or leaders.”
It has been reported in the Spanish media that the raids last week were linked to an investigation launched in 2022 into the RFEF’s decision to move the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia. Rubiales denied any wrongdoing at the time the Super Cup investigation was launched in 2022.