Spanish women’s world champion team player Jenni Hermoso has filed a criminal complaint against the president of the country’s football association From Luis Rubialeswho kissed Hermoso on the mouth after the World Cup final.
The prosecutors of Spain’s highest criminal court have started a preliminary investigation into the alleged sexual assault. The 46-year-old Rubiales may face criminal charges.
The lawsuit is related to a scandal that rocked the football world and Spanish society. Rubiales, who was handing out medals to the Spanish team that won the World Cup gold, kissed Hermoso on the lips during the award ceremony.
Read also: Analysis: Luis Rubiales survived harsh accusations and scandals, but he won’t be forgiven by Spain for a kiss at the World Cup celebration
Rubiales has maintained all along that the kiss was consensual. Hermoso has denied this, saying he and his family have been pressured by the country’s football federation to show their support for Rubiales.
Already on August 29, the Spanish prosecutor opened a preliminary investigation into the case. At that time, the Spanish Criminal Court said that in light of Hermoso’s statements, it is necessary to find out whether sexual abuse has taken place. At that time, it was reported that Hermoso would be contacted and asked if he wanted to start a legal process.
– In order to continue processing the case of sexual violence, harassment or sexual abuse, the injured party or his legal representative must file a lawsuit, the court’s statement stated at the time.
Rubiales’ actions are also being investigated by the International Football Association Fifa, which has suspended Rubiales from football activities for three months. In addition, Spain’s National Sports Court (TAD) opened an investigation into Rubiales’ actions last Friday.
Vilda fired, the Spanish federation apologized
The aftermath of the scandalous events has continued since the World Cup final played on August 20. Spain defeated England 1–0 in the final.
The latest twists and turns involve the head coach Jorge Vildan sack. Vilda has been part of Rubiales’ support group. Vilda came under fire when she applauded Rubiales at an emergency meeting of the Spanish federation, where Rubiales announced that he would not step down as president.
Vilda commented on the dismissal as “unfair” and said her conscience “is clear”.
– I will never show my favor to any kind of macho behavior. I applauded that the chairman evaluated my work and announced my extension contract, Vilda explained after her dismissal.
Already last year, there were news about the bad relations between Vilda and the Spanish national team players. Then 15 players announced that they will no longer play for the national team, if Vilda continues as head coach. However, some of them joined the team for the World Cup.
The Spanish Football Association previously stood steadfastly in support of Rubiales, but when the Spanish Prosecutor’s Office opened its preliminary investigation at the end of August, the association’s direction changed.
Rubiales has been temporarily sidelined, and will serve as interim chairman Pedro Rocha. The Spanish federation has asked Rubiales to resign, but he has not agreed. On Tuesday, the Spanish Football Federation published a statement through Rocha, in which it “apologies to the football world for the inappropriate behavior of Rubiales in the final match of the Women’s World Cup”.
The men’s national team’s statement divides opinion
On Monday, the Spanish men’s national football team took a stand on the subject, when it released a statement from its captain Alvaro Morata as reading. Morata stated to the press that Rubiales’ actions were “unacceptable”.
According to the statement, “the players are firmly and clearly on the side of the values that Spanish football stands for – respect, inspiration, equality and diversity”.
According to The Athletic there had been disagreement among the men’s national team, first of all, whether they should take a stand on the matter at all.
The players selected for the European Championship qualifying matches had met for hours and went through the statement, which Morata then read. None of the 24 players selected for the national team had previously commented on the incident.
– The fact that even such a statement was published was a big step forward, The Athletic’s sources stated.
An experienced defender Cesar Azpilicueta admitted to the media that the players disagreed on the content of the announcement and it was not easy to get it together. In Spain, it has not been customary for players to criticize the actions of the management team.
According to Athletic, some of the players, on the other hand, would have liked a stronger support for Hermoso and 80 other players of the women’s national team, who have announced that they will not play for the national team under the current management of the union.
Azpilicueta was asked if he had considered doing the same, that is, skipping the national team games. The player stated that he respects the decision of the female players, but that he also bears responsibility for the situation of the Spanish men’s national team, because the place for the European Championship has not been announced in the church.
– We want to be in the European Championships and we have seen big teams like Italy miss out on prestigious competitions. So we must try to give our all, individually and collectively. We represent millions of Spaniards, those who came to watch us train last night, children with their parents. It makes me proud.
Athletic also asked Azpilicueta for his opinion on when Spain’s men’s head coach Luis de la Fuente visibly showed his support to Rubiales at the union’s emergency meeting. Azpilicueta acknowledged the matter by saying that he has only talked to his head coach about football.
– Naming or firing coaches… I had many at Chelsea, and I will never interfere, Azpilicueta, who currently represents Atlético Madrid, said.
Barcelona correspondent for The Athletic Laia Cervelló Herrero thought the men’s national team’s stance was very trivial and showed little support for the women’s team.
– It was a statement that seemed to be born out of media pressure. When Rubiales gave the most embarrassing speech in Spanish football history last week, none of Spain’s current male players said anything, Herrero tweeted.
The Spanish women’s national team will start the Nations League on September 22 and 26 against Sweden and Switzerland.
The Spanish men’s national team will face Georgia on September 8 and Cyprus on September 12 in the European Championship qualifiers. Spain has only played two matches in which they have won against Norway and lost to Scotland.