A new legal development in the scandal surrounding the Spanish women’s soccer team: A high court judge in Spain recommended Thursday the case go to trial.
It’s the latest news following the unsolicited kiss by former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales during the 2023 Women’s World Cup trophy presentation. The judge supported star player Jenni Hermoso, who filed a criminal complaint of coercion and sexual assault in September, saying an investigation found the kiss was not consensual.
The judge also wants former head coach Jorge Vilda, men’s team sports director Albert Luque, and the Spanish federation’s marketing chief, Ruben Rivera, to stand trial for pressuring Hermoso to publicly release a video saying the kiss was consensual.
Prosecutors and Hermoso have 10 days to formally request a trial, the judge said.
In August, FIFA suspended Rubiales, who insisted the action was consensual (which Hermoso denied), and he resigned from his position in September. The team boycotted international play until their country’s football federation agreed to make profound changes, and FIFA handed out a three-year suspension to Rubiales in October.
Vilda, who was fired in early September, became the manager of Morocco’s women’s team the next month.
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