Luis Rubiales to appear before a judge over complaint of sexual assault

Former Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales will appear before a judge on Friday over a complaint of sexual assault stemming from him kissing Jenni Hermoso.

The incident took place on the winners' podium of Spain's World Cup final victory over England last month in Sydney.

Rubiales, 46, has maintained that the kiss was mutual and consensual. After weeks of resisting calls for him to step down as president of the Spanish FA, Rubiales, already suspended by FIFA, finally quit on September 10.

But last week, prosecutor Marta Durantez Gil filed a complaint with the High Court against Rubiales after Hermoso told prosecutors that Rubiales kissed her on the mouth without her consent while holding her head with both hands.

The prosecutor added a possible crime of coercion after Hermoso said she and her relatives were put under pressure by Rubiales and his entourage to say that she "justified and approved what happened".

Judge Francisco de Jorge is in charge of the investigation and will decide whether the case goes to trial. If it does, Rubiales could face between one and four years imprisonment if found guilty.

De Jorge has ordered several media, including state broadcaster TVE, to send him footage of the incident and subsequent videos such as one with the players celebrating on a bus with Rubiales and referring to the kiss in what appeared to be a light-hearted manner. The investigation could take several months.

Friday's hearing is behind closed doors.

Spain's players went on strike in the aftermath of the Rubiales incident, insisting they would not return until the Spanish FA hierarchy changed.

After Spain sacked head coach Jorge Vilda, who had been the subject of complaints even before the World Cup started, the players announced on