Spanish Soccer Star Jennifer Hermoso Files Complaint Against Federation President
Getty Images
Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales and Spain star Jennifer Hermoso.
CNN —
Spanish star player Jennifer Hermoso has filed an official complaint with prosecutors against the president of the country’s soccer federation, Luis Rubiales, over an unwanted kiss after the Women’s World Cup final.
The complaint was filed on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Spanish prosecutor’s office told CNN. “The statement was made at the office of the state attorney general to protect the privacy of the victim,” the spokesperson said.
Spanish prosecutors had opened an investigation into Rubiales on August 28, saying they would contact her within two weeks to “inform her of her rights as a victim of an alleged crime of sexual aggression.”
Hermoso’s legal complaint is the next step required for the Spanish justice system to proceed with a case against Rubiales, who has refused to quit as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Rubiales has apologized and described the kiss after the Spanish national team’s victory at the World Cup final on August 20 as “mutual” – a claim Hermoso denied, saying she was not respected. FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, suspended Rubiales for 90 days while disciplinary proceedings are underway.
The incident has prompted a major shake-up in Spanish soccer, with the government pushing for Rubiales to resign and RFEF removing Jorge Vilda from his role as coach of the women’s national team. He was replaced by Montse Tomé, the first woman in Spanish national team history to hold the position.