Defenses for those investigated in connection with pressure allegedly exerted on a national team player, Jenni Hermoso, follow a kiss shared with the former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales. The group has asked the National Court to postpone Hermoso’s statement, a move that the defense team intends to contest. The hearing is tentatively set for January 2, but advocates for continuing the process argued that the date may not fall on a business day under current regulations.
Legal sources cited by Europa Press indicate that other representatives joined the request on behalf of Albert Luque, the director of the men’s national football team. His attorney contends that the scheduled declaration date should be adjusted to align with working days and official timelines.
The summons relates to a case in which Rubiales is being investigated for alleged sexual assault and coercion tied to a kiss he shared during World Cup celebrations in Australia and New Zealand. Notably, Hermoso’s statement is the last procedural step pending in this ongoing matter.
It is important to note that Hermoso testified before the National Court’s chief prosecutor, Marta Durantez, prior to the trial’s outset. The footballer later stated that she did not feel respected and described being subjected to actions she had not sought, or consented to, in order to be put in that situation.
In the prosecutor’s account presented by Telecinco, Hermoso detailed the moment of the kiss after Spain secured the Women’s World Cup title. She recounted embracing Rubiales and hearing him say, “Thanks to you, we won this World Cup.” She described the kiss as something that happened quickly and unexpectedly, noting that she did not anticipate such an moment amidst the celebrations. She recalled returning to the stage with friends shortly after and emphasized the World Cup victory as a historic event that carried a heavy personal toll.
Hermoso stressed that the celebration did not involve consent in the way it was described by others. She explained that, when stepping off the stage, she spoke with teammates Alexia Putellas and Irene and later shared the experience with Paredes. Her account highlights a contrast between the public celebration and her private experience of the moment.
Rubiales’ version
Before the judge, Rubiales described the kiss as a display of affection that occurred naturally and publicly, with the incident taking place under intense public scrutiny. His defense contends that Hermoso’s lawyer characterized the kiss as part of a spontaneous celebration and asserted that the act was consensual, occurring with the awareness of those present.
When asked whether he would have acted differently if he had sought consent beforehand, Rubiales replied that he did kiss Hermoso on the lips and that she reportedly reacted with laughter and a couple of light slaps. His account frames the moment as a familiar gesture during a triumphant moment of national pride.
However, in testimony provided to the Prosecutor’s Office and later highlighted on Telecinco’s program, Hermoso stated that the kiss was not consensual and that she did not feel respected as a person or as an athlete. She reiterated that she was subjected to actions she neither sought nor intended, and that the moment left her in an uncomfortable position.