At odds with a large part of his squad, Jorge Vilda still led the Spanish women’s football team to its first world title in August. After reaching the summit, the now ex-coach of La Roja continues his fall. Three weeks after being sacked by his country’s Federation (RFEF), he will have to face justice.
A magistrate from the Madrid National Court, in charge of the investigation into the kiss imposed by the former president of the RFEF, Luis Rubiales, on the attacker Jenni Hermoso, “summoned on October 10, as an accused person, the former coach of the women’s football team, Jorge Vilda”the body said in a press release on Wednesday September 27.
When filing her complaint with the prosecution, Jenni Hermoso reported “that she and her immediate entourage [avaient] suffered constant and repeated pressure from Luis Rubiales and his professional entourage to justify and approve the facts”then indicated the public prosecutor.
Other officials concerned
Since then, Jorge Vilda has not been the only one to have been targeted by the justice system. Initially summoned by the magistrate as witnesses, the director of the men’s selection, Albert Luque, and the marketing manager of the federation Rubén Rivera, were also indicted, said the National Court.
The indictment of Jorge Vilda comes two days after the hearing, by the judge, of the brother and a friend of Jenni Hermoso. They confirmed, according to a judicial source, the player’s statements about her lack of consent, as well as the pressure exerted on her and her relatives by Mr. Rubiales and his entourage. According to the Spanish press, his brother told the judge that he had been the subject of pressure from Mr. Vilda.
For his part, Luis Rubiales has always claimed that this kiss was consensual. He was banned by the judge from coming within 200 meters of Jenni Hermoso, and was charged with“sexual assault” but also of “coercion”.
The magistrate in charge of the case will also hear, on Monday October 2, the double Golden Ball Alexia Putellas and two other world champions, Irene Paredes and Misa Rodriguez, as witnesses.