Spanish soccer player Jenni Hermoso accuses Luis Rubiales of sexual assault for World Cup kiss
Spanish soccer player Jenni Hermoso has accused Luis Rubiales of sexual assault for kissing her on the lips without her consent after the Women's World Cup final, the country's prosecutors' office said Wednesday.
Rubiales, the now-suspended president of the Spanish soccer federation, kissed Hermoso on the lips during the awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia.
Rubiales has insisted the kiss was consensual. Hermoso has denied that in statements issued by her and her players' union. She also said she and her family were pressured by the federation to show her support for Rubiales in the immediate aftermath of the scandal caused by the kiss that tarnished her team's victory.
The prosecutors' office in Madrid said that, according to a sexual consent law passed last year, Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty. The new law eliminated the difference between «sexual harassment» and «sexual assault,» sanctioning any unconsented sexual act.
Spain's government, players' unions, players and many citizens have come out in support of Hermoso. Rubiales, meanwhile, has become a soccer outcast even while he refuses to resign.
Rubiales was suspended from his post by FIFA on Aug. 27, a day after he refused to step down when he delivered a defiant speech to the general assembly of his federation in which he said he was victim of a «witch hunt» by «false feminists.» Rubiales was banned from his post for 90 days while the body's disciplinary judges consider his case. FIFA can impose sanctions on individuals ranging from warnings and fines to suspensions from the sport.
The 46-year-old Rubiales also faces action from the Spanish government. A government
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