3 Spanish footballers to testify in World Cup kiss scandal on Oct.2
Madrid, Sep 25 (EFE).- Three Spanish football stars are set to testify on Oct.2 as witnesses in a case involving ex-soccer boss Luis Rubiales’ unwanted kiss on forward Jennifer Hermoso after the Women’s World Cup win.
The three teammates of Hermoso to testify are Alexia Putellas, Irene Paredes, and Misa Rodríguez.
The global sports world has been buzzing about the incident after Rubiales allegedly kissed Hermoso on the lips without her consent following the team’s victory in the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney in August.
Prosecutors began legal proceedings for sexual assault charges against the former federation president after Hermoso, 33, complained to the national court earlier this month.
Rubiales, 46, maintains that the kiss he shared with Hermoso after the team’s victory was consensual amid more allegations that he was pressuring her and those around her to claim that she had consented.
The disgraced former head of Spanish soccer has denied that Hermoso or anyone else was coerced into publicly justifying the kiss.
The three soccer players will appear before the judge of the National Court, Francisco de Jorge, via videoconference on Oct.2, legal sources told EFE.
The judge, investigating the former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for the crimes of sexual assault and coercion, commenced the series of recording statements on Monday.
Hermoso’s brother, a friend, and two defense experts have already given their statements.
Both the brother and the friend reiterated and elaborated on the statement Hermoso made when she filed her complaint.
The hearing will resume on Thursday with statements from several federation officials.
They include RFEF Marketing Director Rubén Rivera, men’s team director Albert Luque, women’s team press chief Patricia Pérez, and former director of integrity Miguel García Caba, who was dismissed by the federation on Friday. EFE
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