Alleged sexual assault?
Justice becomes active in the case against Rubiales
08/28/2023 5:26 p.m
The public prosecutor’s office intervened in the scandal surrounding the Spanish football association president Luis Rubiales, who has since been suspended. The authorities are investigating whether Jennifer Hermoso has been the victim of sexual assault and is asking the international if she would like to file a complaint.
The Spanish public prosecutor’s office has opened a case against Luis Rubiales for an offense that could amount to sexual assault. The prosecutor’s office of the highest criminal court announced that she would investigate whether the non-consensual kiss of the now suspended association president on the mouth of national player Jennifer Hermoso was a “sexual assault”. The trial is initially a pre-trial where prosecutors will determine if there is enough evidence to launch a final trial against Rubiales.
Prosecutors called on Hermoso, who had said several times that she had expressed “no consent” to the kiss after the Spanish women’s World Cup triumph in Sydney on August 20 in front of an audience of millions, to speak within the next 15 days to contact her in order to find out about her rights as a victim and, if necessary, to file a complaint. Specifically, it is about Article 178 of the Spanish Penal Code. This offense carries a prison sentence of between one and four years for anyone who commits an act that violates another person’s sexual freedom without their consent.
The agency has had six complaints from individuals and associations for days, but has been reluctant to open an investigation without Hermoso himself filing a complaint. However, the world champion’s statement on Friday that she “felt like I was the victim of an impulsive, sexist and inappropriate act that I did not consent to” changed the case, prosecutors said. Should Hermoso refuse to file a complaint, the proceedings will probably be discontinued.
Several meetings on the scandal are ongoing
Since Monday noon, the Spanish sports court TAD has also been advising on a further ban on the head of the association requested by the government. The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has called an “extraordinary and urgent” meeting at 4 p.m. to “analyze and assess the current situation” after FIFA decided on Saturday to temporarily suspend the federation’s president from his duties for 90 days to suspend.
Meanwhile, Rubiales’ family fights for the president’s reputation. The mother locked herself in the church for a hunger strike because of the “inhuman and bloody hunt” for her son, and the cousin held a flaming defense speech in front of the assembled press. Rubiales was being “lynched,” his cousin complained.