Madrid, Jan 2 (EFE).- Jenni Hermoso testified in court in Spain on Tuesday that she did not consent to being kissed on the lips by the former president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF) during celebrations after the Spanish women’s team won the 2023 World Cup.
Hermoso added that she was pressured by the RFEF into issuing a statement defending Luis Rubiales in the immediate aftermath of the final in Sydney, Australia on Aug. 20.
While Rubiales insisted the kiss was consensual and an “act of mutual celebration”, on Aug. 25 Hermoso said that she had not consented and that the incident had left her feeling “the victim of aggression, a sexist act.”
The player filed a formal claim of sexual assault with police in early September.
Rubiales strongly denied allegations that he had abused his position or acted inappropriately. For weeks, he rejected criticism and resisted calls in Spain and abroad to resign.
After being suspended by Fifa, he eventually stepped down on Sep. 11, although he maintained his innocence and insisted that “the truth will prevail.”
Hermoso was appearing in court in Madrid on Tuesday as part of a Spanish police investigation into whether Luis Rubiales should be charged with sexual assault and coercion.
According to legal sources, Hermoso stated that the kiss «was unexpected and at no time consented to».
Later, both on the flight back from Australia to Spain and during the team’s stay in Ibiza, Hermoso said Rubiales «harassed» her constantly, which «altered her normal life, producing a situation of uneasiness and sadness». EFE
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