2024-01-01 14:54:51
The case being followed in the National Court against the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (FEF) Luis Rubiales for alleged crimes of sexual assault and coercion faces its final stretch with the statement before the judge this Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. soccer player Jennifer Hermoso.
The head of the Central Court of Instruction Number 1, Francisco de Jorge, initially summoned her to testify as a witness on November 28, but two defense attorneys – including those of Rubiales himself – requested her postponement as they coincided with other judicial processes.
The National Court opened an investigation in 2023 against Rubiales for the kiss he gave Hermoso during the celebration of the victory in the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. It should be remembered that the player testified before the lieutenant prosecutor of the National Court, Marta Durantez, before proceedings were initiated. Then, the player defended that she did not feel respected. “They were subjecting me to something that I never sought or did to find myself in that situation,” she revealed.
In the statement before the Prosecutor’s Office, revealed by Telecinco, the soccer player narrated the moment in which she received the kiss after Spain won the Women’s World Cup. According to her story, she hugged Rubiales and said: “The one we’ve messed up.” After her, the former president of the FEF jumped on her and commented: “We won this World Cup thanks to you.”
“I didn’t expect it,” he told the prosecutor.
«The next thing was his hands on my head and then I didn’t hear anything else. I saw myself with the kiss on the mouth and I immediately went down to the stage with my companions,” Hermoso recalled when asked by the prosecutor. “I didn’t even expect it,” added the athlete. At this point, the soccer player recalled that the World Cup victory was a “historical fact” that cost “a life to achieve.”
“At no time could I expect something like this to happen in the end (…) In a trusted person, I think no one would expect that he would use that moment to do something like that, no matter how spontaneous it was,” reproached Hermoso, who He also explained that when he got off the stage he told what happened with Rubiales to his teammates Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes.
Rubiales’ version
Before the judge, Rubiales defended that the kiss was a “display of affection” that occurred “naturally”, in the light of “millions of eyes” and that it was “with consent.” When asked by Hermoso’s lawyer, he asserted that it was a “totally extraordinary celebration”, that he asked the player before giving her the kiss and that it occurred “with consent.”
“Yes, I asked him before, how can I not respect him?” he responded to the question of whether he considered that he had respected the player by kissing her on the mouth, and then pointed out that after that episode Hermoso “left dying of laughter.” and giving him “two slaps on the side.”
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