The Spanish Public Prosecutor’s Office announced on Monday August 28 that it will open a preliminary investigation into alleged “sexual assault” following the forced kiss of Luis Rubiales, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), to Spanish player Jennifer Hermoso , when Spain won the Women’s World Cup.
The prosecution will investigate “facts that could constitute an offense of sexual assault”, the public prosecutor said in a press release, inviting Jennifer Hermoso to contact the prosecution of the National Audience “in a fifteen days” in order to be “informed of her rights as a victim” and to “file a complaint”, if she wishes. In Spain, kissing someone without their consent is considered an offense under the law on sexual assault.
Also, the Administrative Sports Court (TAD), seized by the Spanish government, met at 1 p.m. Monday to rule on the executive’s complaint against Rubiales. If it opens a procedure, the Higher Sports Council (CSD), a government body, may then suspend the president of the Federation until the case is judged on the merits.
The noose is tightening around Luis Rubiales, who refused to tender his resignation at an extraordinary general meeting held at the headquarters of the RFEF on Friday August 25. Six members of the women’s Roja management have announced that they have resigned, leaving coach Jorge Vilda without assistants, forced to distance himself from Mr. Rubiales. “I regret that the victory of women’s football was tarnished by the inappropriate behavior that our most senior leader to date, Luis Rubiales, showed and himself acknowledged,” he said in a statement picked up by several. Spanish media.
Cascading distancing
In a press release published on social networks, the signatories, including deputy Vilda Montse Tomé, affirm “to have taken the decision to present their resignation” to the RFEF and express “their firm and categorical condemnation of the behavior of Luis Rubiales at the regard to Jennifer Hermoso”.
Before them, in a statement to the EFE news agency, Luis de la Fuente, coach of the Spanish men’s team, had condemned “unreservedly the misplaced and inappropriate behavior of the president of REF”, hoping that ” the competent bodies will take the necessary decisions as soon as possible. »
The players of the Spanish football team, crowned world champions, announced on Friday August 25 that they would refuse to play again for the selection under the current management of the federation. “After everything that happened during the Women’s World Cup medal presentation, all players signing this text will not honor a future call-up if the current leaders are maintained,” wrote the 23 world champions in a press release carried by Futpro union.
“I felt vulnerable and victimized”
“At no time did I consent to this kiss [that Luis Rubiales] gave me and in no way did I seek to approach the president. I do not tolerate anyone questioning my word and even less inventing things that I did not say, ”assured Ms. Hermoso in a press release posted on her social networks. “I felt vulnerable and victim of an assault, an impulsive and sexist act, out of place and without any consent on my part,” insisted the Spanish international.
A statement that goes against the speech made by the president of the RFEF. In his speech before the extraordinary general meeting, Luis Rubiales did not apologize for the kiss, which he considers “spontaneous”, “reciprocal” and “consensual”, but for “the context in which he product “. The Spanish football boss also denounced “false feminism” which “does not seek the truth”, castigating an “attempt at social assassination”.
Taking on several Spanish ministers and left-wing figures who criticized his gesture and spoke of “sexual violence without consent”, he claimed that he would “defend himself” against “those people who are trying to assassinate me publicly”. . “My God, what are women who have actually been sexually assaulted going to think? “, he still launched. Monday, August 28, the mother of Luis Rubiales began a hunger strike to denounce “the harassment” suffered by her son.
Provisional suspension decided by FIFA
On Saturday, FIFA, which had already launched disciplinary proceedings against Luis Rubiales, decided to suspend him provisionally. “We have decided today to temporarily suspend Mr. Luis Rubiales from all football-related activity at national and international level,” the world football governing body said in a statement, adding that the suspension would last for at least eighty -ten days, pending the progress of the procedures opened against the Spaniard.
The forced kiss of the president of the Federation is part of a heavy context within the Spanish selection. Players have been denouncing for months the methods deemed “dictatorial” by coach Jorge Vilda, who enjoyed the unwavering support of Mr. Rubiales. The president of the federation was also accused of having organized orgies with RFEF money in September 2022.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) retaliated by calling the accusations against its president “lies”. “The RFEF and the president [Rubiales] will prove every lie published by anyone on behalf of the player, or, if so, by the player herself,” the body said in a statement. published overnight from Friday to Saturday.
“Rubiales cannot stay in his post”
The initiative was welcomed by Irene Montero, Minister for Equality, who wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Faced [with Mr. Rubiales’ impunity], the prosecution and the CSD are acting to protect the player, to say no to machismo and to guarantee the right to sexual freedom. »
In an interview with El Pais, the Spanish sports minister, Miquel Iceta, deplored “an episode that gave us the image of a macho Spain”, while the country is often presented as a leader in the fight against violence against women. He defers to the TAD, assuring that if it “accepts the government’s complaint, we will immediately proceed to the suspension of the functions of president of the federation”.
Many Iberian athletes have also taken up the cause of Jenni Hermoso, such as footballers Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati, basketball legend Pau Gasol and former Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas. On Saturday, several international footballers followed suit on social networks, including the American Megan Rapinoe, star of women’s sport and figure of activism. “They deny what we have seen with our own eyes and call it the truth,” she wrote on Instagram.
