Trial begins of Spain's ex-football boss Rubiales for World Cup kiss
Former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales speaks to journalists as he leaves a court on the day he appeared before a judge in Majadahonda, Spain, on Monday. football governing body, Fifa, seems to apply double standards for European and African federations’ management challenges
What you need to know:
- The prosecution is seeking 2-1/2 years' prison for Rubiales, although in Spain those handed sentences under two years can usually escape incarceration by paying damages instead if they do not have prior convictions.
- The scandal sparked a strike by Hermoso's teammates and saw several heads roll at the federation, with Rubiales's right-hand man and successor also being ousted and a woman being appointed to coach the women's team for the first time.
Madrid. The trial began on Monday of Spain's former soccer federation boss Luis Rubiales over his 2023 kiss with World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso that triggered a backlash against sexism in sport.
Rubiales, 47, is accused of sexual assault and then attempting to coerce Hermoso - with the help of three other men - into declaring that the kiss had been consensual.
Though he apologised for being over effusive in a moment of national triumph, Rubiales denies those criminal charges and has cast himself as the victim of a witchhunt.
Both he and the 34-year-old striker, who will be the first witness at Madrid's High Court, arrived early for proceedings.
Rubiales was seen by millions of TV viewers around the world grabbing Hermoso by the head and planting a kiss on her lips during the awards ceremony following Spain's victory over England at the women's World Cup final in Australia.
While he said the gesture was consensual and initially scoffed at critics, she said she felt a victim of aggression and had pressure put on her to sign a statement exonerating Rubiales, which she said she refused to do.
The ensuing scandal eclipsed Spain's first women's World Cup victory and proved a tipping point for efforts by Spain's female players to expose sexism and achieve parity with male counterparts.
'TRUST IN JUSTICE'
The trial, which began at 10 a.m. (0900 GMT), will see several of Hermoso's teammates, including Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, testify.
Rubiales has asked his daughters to take the stand.
He and his co-defendants - former women's national team coach Jorge Vilda, former Spanish football federation (RFEF) sporting director Albert Luque and the RFEF's former head of marketing Ruben Rivera - will testify on or after Feb. 12 once the court has interviewed the rest of the witnesses.
"I trust in justice. I am calm," Vilda said as he arrived.
The prosecution is seeking 2-1/2 years' prison for Rubiales, although in Spain those handed sentences under two years can usually escape incarceration by paying damages instead if they do not have prior convictions.
The scandal sparked a strike by Hermoso's teammates and saw several heads roll at the federation, with Rubiales's right-hand man and successor also being ousted and a woman being appointed to coach the women's team for the first time.
