Tuesday, December 2, 2024 – Spanish footballer Jenni Hermoso has arrived at court to give evidence against the former president of the country’s football association Luis Rubiales over the ‘kiss-gate’ scandal.
Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips as the Spanish team collected their medals and the trophy following the 1-0 victory over England in Sydney.
The former Spanish federation chief insisted the kiss was consensual and denies any wrongdoing.
He was later banned from all football-related activities by world governing body FIFA and eventually resigned as Spanish FA president.
The incident sparked outrage across the football world.
Hermoso filed a criminal complaint against Rubiales on September 6 and prosecutors filed a lawsuit against him alleging sexual assault and coercion two days later.
The alleged act of coercion related to Rubiales pressuring Hermoso to speak out in his defence after he was criticised for his behaviour.
The presiding judge at Madrid’s High Court must now decide if the case should be sent for trial.
The judge is also hearing testimony from other World Cup-winning players, coaches and federation officials before making the decision.
Hermoso is expected to reiterate that her allegations that the Rubiales kiss was unwanted and that the former president and his staff tried to pressure her and her family to downplay the incident.
Spanish media said Hermoso asked the judge to keep her court appearance as private as possible.
Photographs showed Hermoso arriving at Madrid’s High Court for a closed-door session on Tuesday in which she will give her version of the events after Spain’s World Cup victory in August.
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