Luis Rubiales to appear in court over kiss scandal

Former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales is set to appear in court this Friday as part of an investigation into his non-consensual kiss on Jenni Hermoso’s lips after the Women’s World Cup final.

Rubiales has been summoned to appear before an examining magistrate at 1200 local time (1000 GMT) on Friday, where he will be heard as an accused and must respond to accusations of “sexual assault,” according to a statement from a Madrid court issued on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on August 20 after Spain’s victory in Sydney, with Hermoso claiming the kiss was not consensual, while Rubiales maintains that it was.

Judge Francisco de Jorge of the National Court accepted a complaint against Rubiales filed by Spanish prosecutors last week, alleging “crimes of sexual assault” and “coercion.”

Recent reforms to the Spanish penal code classify a non-consensual kiss as sexual assault, a legal category encompassing various forms of sexual violence. Penalties for such offenses can range from fines to up to four years in prison, as indicated by sources from the public prosecutor’s office.

Despite stepping down as the president of the Spanish football federation on Sunday, Rubiales continues to defend himself against the allegations surrounding the kiss.

“I have faith in the truth and I will do everything in my power so that it prevails,” Rubiales wrote in an open letter.

The 33-year-old who plays for Mexican club Pachuca, has said the unwanted kiss left her feeling “vulnerable and like the victim of an assault”, with a statement on social media describing it as “an impulsive, macho act, out of place and with no type of consent on my part”.