In the kissing scandal, Spanish world champion Jennifer Hermoso confirmed during questioning in court that the former head of the Spanish football association RFEF, Luis Rubiales, had given her a kiss without consent. “Now everything depends on the justice system,” said the 33-year-old afterwards on Tuesday as she left the State Court in Madrid.
Rubiales kissed her on the mouth in front of the cameras at the World Cup medal ceremony in Sydney on August 20th, triggering a scandal as a result of which he was banned by FIFA for three years and by the Spanish Court of Arbitration for Sport and resigned as RFEF boss. The association boss at the time continued to assert that Hermoso had agreed to the kiss. However, the player had already complained back then that at the award ceremony she felt “like a victim of an impulsive, sexist and inappropriate act that I did not agree to.”
The responsible examining judge, Francisco de Jorge, has already interviewed numerous witnesses, including several players from the Spanish World Cup team. He must decide whether Rubiales will be put in the dock. According to experts, the 46-year-old faces a prison sentence of up to four years. Meanwhile, Hermoso has found a new club. She is moving from CF Pachuca to multiple champions Tigres Feminil in the Mexican league. The footballer and the club announced this on social media.