National Court judge Francisco de Jorge has broadened the group of individuals under investigation in the case involving alleged sexual assault and coercion connected to the non-consensual kiss at the World Cup final. The proceedings initially focused on Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, and have expanded to consider additional figures who might have pressured the player, Jenni Hermoso, during the event in Australia. The judge’s latest ruling suggests that Jorge Vilda, the former women’s team coach, along with men’s team directors Albert Luque and Rubén Rivera from RFEF Marketing, could have played a role in pressuring Hermoso, and they have been summoned for questioning on 10 October for this reason.
In Luque and Rivera’s case, the Instruction Court No. 1’s decision marks a procedural shift—from witnesses to those investigated. The development comes amid demonstrations last Monday by Rafael, who is Hermoso’s brother, and a close friend of the player at the National Court. They expanded on the details of the pressure and harassment Hermoso experienced, which the player had already described in her initial statement to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Legal sources cited in this report indicate that Hermoso’s brother would point to Jorge Vilda as the alleged author of the pressure during the raid. At that time, Vilda was not listed among the federation employees named in the case. He is set to appear as a witness in the investigation this Thursday. The judge has allowed the case to continue, noting that Vilda is being investigated alongside Luque and Rivera, and his appearance has been postponed for several weeks.
Separately, the judge is maintaining the call for a witness in the prescribed trial, which is planned for Thursday. Patricia Pérez, the press officer for the women’s team, and Miguel Caba, the former Integrity Director of the federation, are expected to testify starting at 10 a.m., according to legal sources.
Lip reading “Piquito”
As the investigation proceeds, witnesses close to Hermoso and a report from Rubiales’ defense—one that included two experts who analyzed the former manager’s lip movements in the videos recorded just before the kiss—have been considered. De Jorge, through the Australian Embassy, secured certification of the offenses described in the Criminal Code of Australia as they relate to the events investigated, confirming their applicability in New South Wales, the location of the Sydney stadium where the alleged incident took place.
Prior to Vilda’s trial, the judge plans to proceed with further witness testimony, including national team players Alexia Putellas, Irene Paredes, and Misa Rodríguez. The next hearing is cited for October 2, and demonstrations may occur via video conference.
The National Court’s Chief Prosecutor, Marta Durántez, has already questioned Rubiales about five individuals concerning the events during the interrogation on September 15. Durántez later confirmed that she could not communicate with the actor during the ongoing investigation at the Prosecutor’s Office’s request, and also prohibited contact, maintaining a distance of at least 200 meters.
According to statements from sources, Rubiales denied feeling pressured during the interrogation, asserting that any pressure came from within his own circle and emphasizing that there was no consent when Hermoso was kissed on the lips.
The hearings also include a request for a video from the newspaper about the locker room celebration and an Ace sports newspaper video of related moments. Another recording of the celebratory bus ride by the Spanish women’s football team was also sought by Pioneer as part of the case materials.