Luis Rubiales, the former president of Spain’s football federation, goes on trial on Monday following the accusation of sexual assault for kissing team captain Jenni Hermoso, according to media reports.
Hermoso, who plays as a forward for Liga Mexico, will appear as a witness on the first day of the trial. The trial will last until February 19.
After Spain’s historic World Cup victory over England in Sydney in 2023, Rubiales openly kissed Hermoso on the lips as the players received their medals. Hermoso said the kiss was not consensual, but Rubiales claimed it was.
The incident led to protests and calls for Rubiales’s resignation. It also sparked a social movement under the hashtag SeAcabó (It’s Over), with a recent documentary released on Netflix. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the kiss showed that there is still much to be done to achieve equality and respect between men and women.
Rubiales initially denied the accusations and called it a “witch-hunt.” He later resigned as president of the football federation, and legal charges were filed against him.
Prosecutors want Rubiales to serve one year in prison for sexual assault for the kiss. They also seek an additional year and a half for coercion, claiming he pressured Hermoso into publicly saying the kiss was consensual. Rubiales denies all charges.
Rubiales’ colleagues Jorge Vilda, the coach of the World Cup-winning team; Rubén Rivera, the federation’s former head of marketing; and Albert Luque, the former sporting director, are also on trial for alleged involvement in the coercion. They deny the charges.