The High Court in Madrid has ruled to try former Spanish soccer federation chief Luis Rubiales for an unsolicited kiss of national soccer player Jennifer Hermoso. This follows allegations of sexual assault and coercion that Rubiales is facing, for which Spanish prosecutors are seeking a total of two years and six months in prison.
Rubiales has denied any wrongdoing and claims he had received consent from Hermoso. However, Hermoso has previously stated that she did not consent to the kiss and felt disrespected by Rubiales. Despite apologies from Rubiales, the case is moving forward with a trial.
The Public Ministry in Spain has formally accused Rubiales of sexual assault for allegedly kissing Hermoso without her consent. Additionally, former women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda, the team’s current sporting director Albert Luque, and the federation’s head of marketing Ruben Rivera are also accused of coercing Hermoso into stating that the kiss was consensual. The High Court will try all four individuals on these charges.
Bail amounts have been set for all involved in the case, with a separate bail for Rubiales’ sexual assault charge and a joint bail for all accused individuals for the coercion charge. The trial is expected to begin soon, with many watching closely to see how this high-profile case unfolds.