Luis Rubiales Insists in Spanish Court That Jenni Hermoso Consented to World Cup Kiss

Luis Rubiales, who’s the previous president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), is on trial for sexual assault following a kiss he planted on Jenni Hermoso following Spain’s win on the 2023 World Cup.

He can be being accused of coercing her to admitting to the general public that the kiss was consensual, which Hermoso has repeatedly denied.

Despite her denial, Rubiales has insisted to Spain’s National Court that he didn’t kiss her in opposition to her will.

Rubiales Insists He Asked Permission

According to the BBC, Rubiales informed the National Court that “We were champions, we were thanking each other. She pressed me very hard by the waist and then I asked her whether I could give her a kiss and she said yes.”

At a unique level in the course of the interrogation, Rubiales referred to the second with Hermoso as “something completely spontaneous.”

When requested whether or not or not he usually offers individuals kisses, the BBC reported that the 47-year-old mentioned that he felt the event of profitable the World Cup warranted it. He added that he knew Hermoso for a protracted time period additionally warranted a kiss.

Hermoso Denies Giving Consent

While Rubiales has repeatedly insisted that the kiss was consensual, Hermoso has mentioned the alternative for the reason that incident passed off.

“My boss was kissing me, and this shouldn’t happen in any social or work setting,” she beforehand informed the courtroom.

Hermoso has additionally accused her former boss of forcing her to confess publicly that the kiss was consensual, which she mentioned no to.

The trial is scheduled to run till Feb. 19. Should he be convicted of the accusations in opposition to him, Rubiales could face time in jail. Prosecutors are looking for a jail time period of two and a half years.