Spanish footballer Jenni Hermoso has filed a criminal complaint against Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish football federation, accusing him of sexual assault over an unsolicited kiss during the Women’s World Cup final, the Spanish prosecutor’s office confirmed.
This complaint follows an investigation by prosecutors at the country’s top criminal court who were probing the incident. During the final, Rubiales grabbed Hermoso by the head, pulled her towards him, and kissed her on the lips. Concerns arose that this act could lead to sexual assault charges, prompting the investigation. As part of this process, Hermoso was invited to formally file a complaint.
The prosecutor’s office stated that Hermoso’s testimony, provided a day earlier, would be processed “as soon as possible.” Under a recently enacted sexual consent law, Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty of sexual assault.
In a statement released the previous month, Hermoso described the incident as an “impulsive act, sexist, out of place, and without any type of consent from my part.” She also revealed feeling “vulnerable and a victim of aggression” as a result of the kiss.
The controversy surrounding the kiss led to days of uproar, with Rubiales initially dismissing critics as “idiots and stupid people” before issuing a widely perceived half-hearted apology. Subsequently, Fifa provisionally suspended Rubiales and ordered him to have no contact with Hermoso and her close associates. In response to mounting outrage over the kiss and other incidents, including Rubiales grabbing his crotch during La Roja’s World Cup victory, the federation called for his resignation.
While Rubiales has not yet resigned, the federation distanced itself further from him by issuing a statement apologizing for the “enormous damage” caused by his actions.
On Tuesday, the federation dismissed Jorge Vilda, the coach for the national women’s team, amid ongoing tensions. Vilda had faced criticism from players, with 15 of them refusing to play under his leadership, citing his controlling and overbearing behavior.
Vilda defended his decision to applaud Rubiales during a federation assembly, explaining that it was difficult not to when the majority did. He denied pressuring Hermoso to participate in Rubiales’s apology and expressed his shock upon viewing the kiss footage, describing it as inappropriate.
Rubiales released a statement last Friday expressing regret for his “obvious mistakes” and decrying what he perceived as a “political and media lynching.” He vowed to continue defending himself to “prove the truth.”