After resigning as president of the Spanish Football Association, Luis Rubiales must appear in court on Friday at 12 p.m. on allegations of sexual violence. Rubiales kissed national player Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth after the World Cup final against her will.
The Spanish public prosecutor’s office filed charges last Friday, and Rubiales was officially summoned on Tuesday. The 46-year-old must appear before an examining judge “to be heard as an accused” and to answer the allegations, the National Court of Justice in Madrid said.
Hermoso filed a complaint against Rubiales last Wednesday. She also accuses Rubiales of pressuring her. She said she had spoken out in his defense immediately after the uproar over the kiss, which, according to the prosecutor, could be viewed as a criminal offense of coercion.
Following a recent reform of the Spanish penal code, a non-consensual kiss can be considered an act of sexual violence. According to the public prosecutor’s office, the penalties for this can range from a fine to four years in prison.
Only on Sunday did Rubiales announce his resignation from his post after weeks of wrangling. However, he continued to insist that he had not been guilty of anything.