© REUTERS
A court in Madrid has summoned Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). The summons comes in the investigation into the forced kiss that Rubiales gave to player Jenni Hermoso after the World Cup final won by Spain against England on August 20 in Sydney.
Bron: BELGIAN
Rubiales will be summoned by the investigating judge on Friday at 12 noon to be heard “as a suspect”. He can respond to the accusations of “sexual aggression”.
The 46-year-old Rubiales announced on Sunday evening in an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan that he would resign as president of the Spanish Football Association. Two weeks ago, the Spaniard refused to resign. However, his position had become untenable since the Hermoso incident. The Spanish federation accepted his resignation.
Rubiales was previously suspended by the World Football Association FIFA for 90 days pending the results of the investigation into him by FIFA’s disciplinary committee. The Public Prosecution Service in Spain opened a preliminary investigation into the case on August 28 and charged Rubiales last Friday with “sexual aggression and coercion”.
Imprisonment
It is up to the investigating judge in Madrid to decide whether there is sufficient evidence for a trial. According to experts, Rubiales faces a prison sentence of one to four years if he is actually found guilty.
Early last week, 33-year-old Hermoso filed a report against Hermoso for the unsolicited kiss. She also stated that she and her family members had been pressured into saying that she had consented to the kiss. That is why the Public Prosecution Service is also charging the association president with coercion.
