BREAKING NEWS: Prosecutors open preliminary sex abuse probe into Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales

Prosecutors have opened a preliminary sexual abuse investigation against Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales after he kissed Spanish player Jennifer Hermoso on the lips without permission.

Spain’s highest court is investigating whether Rubiales’ actions during the World Cup ‘kiss-gate’ scandal constitute sexual abuse. He also took his cross in the royal box next to Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter Infanta Sofia.

After La Roja beat England 1-0 in the women’s World Cup final on August 20, the 46-year-old midfielder hugged Hermoso before kissing her on the mouth in a sudden gesture she said she “didn’t like”. . .

Rubiales, who claims she agreed to the kiss — which Hermoso, 33, denies — has received widespread condemnation in the wake of the incident.

Rubiales was suspended on Saturday by world football’s governing body, FIFA, a day after he repeatedly refused to resign and blamed “false feminists” for the saga in a bizarre speech at an emergency meeting of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Friday .

The Public Prosecution Service says it started the investigation because ‘the sexual act was not consented’.

AFP quoted Spain’s national court as saying, “Prosecutors of the national court have opened a preliminary investigation to investigate the facts, which could constitute an offense of sexual assault,” and the statement added that Hermoso will have the option to to file a lawsuit yourself. .

The country’s government has urged the Spanish Sports Tribunal (TAD) to suspend Rubiales and there are widespread demands for him to be sacked, with the entire Spanish coaching staff resigning over the issue. The Spanish government also wants him out.

The RFEF’s interim president, Pedro Rocha, called an “extraordinary and urgent” meeting on Monday “to review the situation the federation finds itself in” following Rubiales’ suspension, an RFEF spokesman said on Sunday.

FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales on Thursday and announced on Saturday that he had been suspended from domestic and international football activities for three months pending an internal investigation after the sexual assault protocol came into effect.

Rubiales’ mother has locked herself in a church and has gone on a hunger strike to end what she calls her son’s “inhumane” treatment.

The uproar has arisen in a country where gender issues have become a prominent topic. Tens of thousands of women have taken part in street marches in recent years to protest against sexual abuse and violence.

Hermoso, who has said she did not consent to the kiss and felt “vulnerable and the victim of aggression,” was warmly supported by fellow actors and many in wider society.

She was applauded by the crowd when she was seen on a balcony with dignitaries on Saturday night during the Women’s Cup final between Atletico Madrid and Milan. Players at the game held a banner that read, “With you Jennifer Hermoso.”

All 23 players of Spain’s Cup-winning side, including Hermoso, and dozens of other squad members, said on Friday they would not play internationals as long as Rubiales remained in office. Their next game is away against Sweden in the Nations League on September 22.

On Saturday, eleven members of the women’s team’s coaching staff resigned in a statement supporting Hermoso and condemning Rubiales. Manager Jorge Vilda denounced Rubiales’ “inappropriate and unacceptable” behavior on Saturday.

Feminist groups organized a demonstration in Madrid on Monday under the title ‘With You Jenni’. Hundreds of people held a demonstration against Rubiales in Salamanca on Sunday.