Suspended Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales is the subject of a filed complaint for "crimes of sexual assault and coercion against Jennifer Hermoso." The 33-year-old La Roja player filed her own official complaint against Rubiales with prosecutors on Tuesday regarding the controversial non-consensual kiss after the Women's World Cup final.
With the complaint from the prosecutor's office, which is part of the legal process in Spain, the country's national court can now launch a formal investigation into Rubiales. So far, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) head has refused to resign, but possible charges could now arise after this latest development.
"The complaint is filed after, on September 5, the player appeared before the prosecutor, accompanied by her lawyer, and expressly made a complaint of the events that, according to her statement, occurred without her consent," read a press release from the prosecutor's office.
Hermoso "also referred in her statement that both she and people close to her suffered constant and repeated pressure from Luis Rubiales and his professional environment," added the prosecutor's press release. "The prosecutor considers that this harassment could constitute a crime of coercion."
Information is now being requested from World Cup host country Australia and its authorities "on the classification of crimes against sexual freedom in its criminal regulations." Rubiales, whose legal defense standpoint is unclear at this point, is suspended from all soccer-related activity for 90 days by the sport's global governing body FIFA.
This ban means that Rubiales cannot use RFEF legal resources in any potential defense against the complaint. The Spanish government are pushing for Rubiales to resign over the kiss incident while the RFEF have removed World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda from his position.
Vilda's replacement is Montse Tome who is the first Spanish woman in national team history to occupy the role. Rubiales has apologized for the kiss, while also claiming it was "mutual," which Hermoso later denied while upwards of 80 players have signed a statement pledging to not return "if the current leaders continue."
The situation has even led to public comment from the likes of Spanish basketball legend and two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol who expressed his view that Rubiales' behavior is "very disappointing" and cannot be "tolerated or accepted."
"Me being a Spanish citizen and seeing my country win for the first time ever the World Cup in women's soccer, it was a little bit disappointing, well, very disappointing actually, to see that happen, to see that moment happen and that type of behavior," said Gasol.
"To take away from a moment of joy and happiness, and those amazing women did an amazing job winning the World Cup, it was difficult," added the hoops great. "It was very challenging for me and for our country in a way to experience that, and now we're still dealing with it. As a president of a federation, you should know better, but it happened so now you've got to deal with it and make sure it doesn't happen again."
