Spanish soccer player Jenni Hermoso is accusing Luis Rubiales, the now-suspended president of the Spanish soccer federation, of sexual assault after he kissed her on the lips following the Women’s World Cup final, in which Spain defeated England on August 20.
Last year, Spain’s parliament passed a law that got rid of the difference between “sexual harassment” and “sexual assault.” If Rubiales — who claimed the kiss was consensual, prompting Hermoso to dispute his claim — is found guilty of sexual assault, he could be fined or be sentenced from one to four years in prison.
Rubiales had told Spanish officials that he had asked permission to kiss Hermoso and she said he could give her “a little peck.”
Hermoso responded on Twitter, “I feel obliged to report that Mr. Luis Rubiales’ words explaining the unfortunate incident are categorically false and part of the manipulative culture that he himself has generated. I want to make it clear that at no time did the conversation which Mr. Luis Rubiales refers to in his address take place, and, above all, was his kiss ever consensual.”
“I want to reiterate as I did before that I did not like this incident,” she continued. “The situation shocked me given the celebrations that were taking place at the moment, and with the passage of time and after delving a little deeper into those initial feelings, I feel the need to report this incident because I believe that no person, in any work, sports or social setting should be a victim of these types of non-consensual behaviors. I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-driven, sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part.”
Spain’s federation (RFEF) said it would take legal action against Hermoso, releasing a statement claiming Rubiales’ claim that Hermoso lifted him off the ground before the kiss was accurate. As The Athletic reported, they showed four photos of Hermoso and Rubiales embracing, then stated, “the facts exposed by Mr. President are absolutely true and that he is not lying. … The evidence is conclusive. Mr. President has not lied. The RFEF and Mr. President will demonstrate each of the lies that are spread either by someone on behalf of the player or, if applicable, by the player herself. The RFEF and the president, given the seriousness of the content of the press release from the Futpro Union, will initiate the corresponding legal actions.”
After Rubiales was provisionally suspended by FIFA, the soccer world’s governing body, his elderly mother Angeles Bejar locked herself into a church and went on a hunger strike, calling the treatment of her son an “inhumane witch-hunt” while initiating an “indefinite, day and night” hunger strike until “justice is served,” The Daily Mail reported. She stated she wanted Hermoso, who had stated the kiss was not consensual, “to tell the truth” and “maintain the version she had at the beginning of the events,” according to Marca.
Bejar opined there was “no sexual abuse as there is consent on both sides, as shown in the images” and wondered “why are they being cruel to him” and what was “behind all this story” as her son was “incapable of harming anyone.”
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On Tuesday, Jorge Vilda, the coach of Spain’s women’s team, was fired. Last year, 15 players declared they would not play under him unless the work environment was changed.