Spanish justice opens investigation for alleged “sexual assault”

2023-08-28 15:59:10

The Spanish public prosecutor’s office announced on Monday that it would open a preliminary investigation into alleged “sexual assault” in connection with the forced kiss of Spanish football boss Luis Rubiales on a player during Spain’s coronation at the Women’s World Cup. of football. This affair has shaken Spain for more than a week and is already dubbed the “#MeToo of Spanish football”.

Published on: 08/28/2023 – 15:59

3 mn

After his suspension by Fifa, Luis Rubiales is in the sights of Spanish justice. The prosecution announced on Monday August 28 that it would open a preliminary investigation for alleged “sexual assault” in the case of the Spanish football boss’s forced kiss on the player Jennifer Hermoso during Spain’s coronation at the Women’s World Cup. football 2023.

The prosecution will investigate “facts which could constitute a crime of sexual assault”, indicated the public prosecutor’s office in a press release sent to AFP, inviting Jennifer Hermoso to contact the prosecution of the National hearing “within fifteen days” in order to be “informed of his rights as a victim” and to “file a complaint”, if necessary.

The affair has shaken Spain for more than a week and has had many twists and turns. The latest: Luis Rubiales’ mother began a hunger strike on Monday to denounce “the harassment” suffered by her son.

Angeles Bejar started her hunger strike from the church in Motril, southern Spain, where she intends to stay until Jennifer Hermoso, the player who was surprised kissed on the mouth by her son, “tell the truth” about what happened, explained to the press Vanessa Ruiz Bejar, the cousin of Luis Rubiales on the threshold of the building.

“This harassment is not fair. Her mother, who is very religious, has found refuge with God. She has started a hunger strike and does not want to leave the church,” she said, arguing that according to her, the player had “changed her statements three times”.

Read alsoForced kiss to Jenny Hermoso: Luis Rubiales suspected of having put pressure on the player

Luis Rubiales grew up in Motril and his father was even mayor of the city. The 46-year-old was suspended on Saturday by Fifa “from all football-related activity at national and international level” for ninety days.

The affair, already dubbed the “#MeToo of Spanish football” and which eclipsed the women’s world title of La Roja, caused a wave of indignation in Spain but also abroad.

“I felt vulnerable and victim of aggression”

At the head of the federation since 2018, Luis Rubiales has been at the heart of a media whirlwind since he was filmed on August 20 in Sydney, in full celebration of the victory of the women’s Roja over England in the final. of the Women’s World Cup, taking Jennifer Hermoso’s head with both hands before surprisingly kissing her on the mouth.

As soon as she returned to the locker room, the player said during a live broadcast on Instagram: “I didn’t like it, huh!”. Faced with the extent of the first outraged reactions, the Spanish federation had transmitted to the press statements by Jennifer Hermoso according to which it was “a totally spontaneous mutual gesture because of the immense joy that the victory in the world”.

But Friday, while Luis Rubiales claimed before the federation that the kiss was not only consented but that he had asked permission, Jennifer Hermoso split a press release in which she announced that she had never given his agreement: “I felt vulnerable and victim of an aggression, an impulsive and sexist act, moved and without any consent on my part”.

With AFP