FORMER Spanish FA chief Luis Rubiales has been called to testify in court following a criminal probe for suspected sexual assault and coercion.
It comes after the disgraced football president, 46, sparked outrage when his country won the Women’s World Cup earlier this month and he kissed Jenni Hermoso without her consent.
He is set to be questioned today at the Audiencia Nacional court in Madrid by judge Francisco de Jorge who is conducting the criminal probe.
It emerged yesterday he had opened his investigation into the 46-year-old after a formal complaint was lodged by prosecutors.
A spokesman for the court said the judge would be requesting footage of the kiss and other relevant videos as part of his probe.
It comes after Hermoso, 33, paved the way for Rubiales’ prosecution by admitting she “felt vulnerable and the victim of aggression”, after the kiss.
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The judge agreed to launch his investigation less than 24 hours after Rubiales sensationally quit as FA chief and UEFA vice-president following the scandal.
Rubiales previously doubled down on the scandal, promising to “defend his innocence” after announcing his resignation on Sunday night.
After news of his resignation broke, the disgraced football star tweeted: “I will defend my honour. I will defend my innocence.
“I have faith in the future. I have faith in the truth.
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“Thanks everyone.”
A statement from Spain’s highest court previously said: “Prosecutors from the National Court have opened a preliminary investigation to look into the facts, which could constitute an offence of sexual assault.”
Prosecutors also reportedly received complaints of “obscene exhibitionism before a minor” when Rubiales appeared to grab his crotch in the stands next to Spain’s Princess Infanta Sofía.
He apologised to the Spanish royal family previously for the display, saying: “I apologise to the Queen and the Infanta for a very unedifying gesture. I do not justify myself: sorry.”
But in the same breath, the deluded footballer claimed the kiss was “affectionate” and Hermoso had “consented”.
Hermoso herself hit back the following day, denying the former FA chief’s claim that the kiss was consensual.
In a revealing sit-down with Piers Morgan on TalkTV tonight, deluded Rubiales will sensationally compare his kiss with Hermoso to one he might give his daughters.
He is set to double down on his position in the astonishing interview as he tells Piers: “My intentions were noble, enthusiastic, 100% non-sexual, 100%, I repeat, 100%.”
“There was no harm, no sexual content, no aggression, nothing like that.
“The significance of the kiss to Jenni would have been exactly the same as a kiss to one of my daughters.
“Between friends and family, that’s very, very common.”
The FA president will say that he understands he “should have acted in a more solemn, cold and diplomatic way”.
Striker Hermoso lodged the sexual assault complaint in person at the State Attorney General’s Office – setting the wheels in motion for the public ministry to present an official complaint against Rubiales.
She described the kiss as “an impulsive, sexist act, out of place and without any type of consent on my part.”
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The football star has been lying low since the scandal, which caused a shockwave across the international football world, as numerous figures called for Rubiales’ resignation and Spanish prosecutors opened their criminal investigation.
Rubiales will be questioned in private on Friday, as is normal in Spain where only trials take place in public.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
