Jenni Hermoso, the Spanish footballer who won the Women's World Cup, testified that she never agreed to be kissed by Luis Rubiales, the former head of the Spanish Football Federation. The trial in Madrid focuses on Rubiales' actions after Spain's victory, where he kissed Hermoso on the lips, leading to accusations of sexual assault and coercion.
World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso has firmly stated in the trial of Luis Rubiales that she never consented to the former Spanish football chief's kiss on the lips. Rubiales is facing charges of sexual assault and coercion in Madrid for kissing Hermoso after Spain's victory in the Women's World Cup. The 47-year-old vehemently denies all allegations. Hermoso, Spain's all-time leading goalscorer, recounted to Madrid's High Court on Monday that she never agreed to the kiss.
She explained, 'I didn't hear or understand anything. The next thing he did was to grab me by the ears and kiss me on the mouth.'The trial also involves former women's national team coach Jorge Vilda, former Spanish football federation sporting director Albert Luque, and the organization's ex-head of marketing Ruben Rivera, who are accused of pressuring Hermoso. The incident occurred in August 2023 after Spain defeated England 1-0 in the final in Sydney. Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips as players received their medals. His initial refusal to resign led to his dismissal and a three-year ban from all football-related activities by FIFA in October 2023.The aftermath of the incident sparked a boycott of both the women's and men's national teams by Spanish players, along with protests across Spain and internationally demanding 'a sport free of sexist violence'. Prosecutors allege that Hermoso was pulled aside on the bus to the airport and pressured to approve a statement downplaying the incident, which she refused. They further claim that Vilda warned Hermoso's brother that his sister's football career would be jeopardized if she didn't record a video supporting Rubiales' assertion that the kiss was consensual. Rubiales initially dismissed his critics as 'idiots' before issuing an apology, stating that the brief kiss was 'without bad faith at a time of maximum effusiveness'. Rubiales and his co-defendants are expected to testify later in the trial after all other witnesses have been interviewed. The prosecution is seeking a prison sentence of over two years for Rubiales. In Spain, individuals sentenced to less than two years can avoid jail time by paying damages
Womens World Cup Luis Rubiales Jenni Hermoso Sexual Assault Spain Football Federation FIFA
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