Former Spanish football federation head Luis Rubiales has been called to testify before a Spanish judge probing his kiss of a player during the Women's World Cup.
According to court records obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, Judge Francisco de Jorge ordered Rubiales to answer his questions in Spain's National Court in Madrid on Friday.
Rubiales kissed Spain forward Jenni Hermoso during the awards ceremony on August 20 in Sydney, Australia, after Spain defeated England to win the title. He said she agreed to the kiss, but Hermoso has refuted this.
Last Monday, Spanish state prosecutors charged Rubiales with suspected sexual assault and coercion when, according to Hermoso, he urged her to go out in his defence immediately after the controversy broke.
Advertisement
Rubiales announced his resignation from his position on Sunday, after being provisionally suspended by FIFA.
De Jorge is conducting the preliminary inquiry into the allegations against Rubiales, after which he will decide whether the matter should proceed to trial.
Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if proven guilty of sexual assault under a sexual consent law passed in Spain last year. The new law eliminated the difference between “sexual harassment” and “sexual assault,” sanctioning any non-consensual sexual act.
(With AP inputs)
