Former Spanish soccer president Luis Rubiales will face trial for kissing forward Jenni Hermoso without her consent at the Women's World Cup, an investigative judge said on Thursday. Rubiales' kiss was deemed "unconsented and carried out unilaterally and in a surprising fashion," according to the court. State prosecutors have accused Rubiales of sexual assault and attempting to coerce Hermoso into publicly supporting him amidst the backlash. Rubiales initially denied any wrongdoing and claimed to be the victim of a campaign led by "false feminists," but eventually resigned from his post in August due to his behavior during the World Cup final awards ceremony in Sydney.
The judge also ruled that former Spain coach Jorge Vilda, sports director Albert Luque, and former head of marketing Ruben Rivera should also be tried for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to defend Rubiales, a request she refused. The trial date is yet to be determined. Hermoso, Spain's all-time leading scorer who plays in the Mexican league, testified before the investigative judge earlier this month and has received widespread support in the country. Many hope that the kiss scandal will prompt a reckoning with sexism in Spanish sports.
Under a sexual consent law passed in 2022, Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty. The law eliminated the distinction between "sexual harassment" and "sexual assault," making any unconsented sexual act punishable. Rubiales, who also made a lewd victory gesture near Spain's Queen Letizia and Princess Sofia during the celebrations, became a national embarrassment. Hermoso and her teammates refused to continue playing under Rubiales' leadership and only returned to the team after the government mediated an agreement to overhaul protocols and provide more support to the women's side, including removing the term "women's" from the official team name.
The judge found sufficient evidence to believe that Rubiales unsuccessfully pressured Hermoso to appear in a video he produced and published during the public outcry against him. The judge also stated that there was reason to believe Vilda similarly pressured Hermoso's brother. Luque and marketing head Rivera were also implicated in the alleged attempt to coerce her support for Rubiales. FIFA banned Rubiales for three years until after the men's 2026 World Cup, and Spain's sports authority ruled him unfit for any sports management position for three years.
