Kiss-gate: Luis Rubiales to testify in Spanish court on Friday

Ex-Spanish football federation (RFEF) chief Luis Rubiales will testify in court on Friday amid the investigation into his kiss on Jennifer Hermoso.

The former president has been summoned to appear before a court in Spain after prosecutors opened a case against him for “the crimes of sexual assault and coercion”.

“It is agreed that the testimony will be heard, in the context of being a suspect, with legal assistance, of LUIS MANUEL RUBIALES BÉJAR next Friday, September 15, at 12 p.m. … before this central court of investigation,” a statement from judge Luis Francisco de Jorge read.

Rubiales has been under fire since he kissed Hermoso after Spain’s World Cup final victory against England.

While Rubiales has insisted the kiss was consensual, Hermoso maintains otherwise and filed a complaint with Spanish prosecutors against him.

The 46-year-old was suspended from his role as RFEF president by FIFA after he initially refused to step down before finally announcing his resignation last week.

More than 80 Spanish players vowed to boycott the national team while Rubiales was in charge and the majority of the coaching staff resigned before head coach Jorge Vilda was sacked by new president Pedro Rocha.

The Sports Administrative Court (TAD) in Spain ruled that Rubiales’ kiss on Hermoso was a “serious” but not “very serious” offence.

After the ruling, Rubiales released a defiant statement, saying: “I will continue to defend myself to prove the truth. I want to send a message to all good people in our country and beyond our borders, including those women who have really been attacked and who have my full support and understanding: this isn’t about gender, it’s real.”

He added: “Justice is applied to people without gender having to previously determine the result. I feel that I have been judged unfairly by the media and politicians. This should never happen to anyone again.”

Last week, the RFEF issued an apology over Rubiales’ conduct, saying the saga has caused “enormous” damage to “Spanish football, to Spanish sport, to Spanish society and the values of football”.