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Luis Rubiales, President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), and Spanish star Jennifer Hermoso.
CNN –
Spanish star player Jennifer Hermoso has filed an official complaint with the public prosecutor’s office against the president of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, over an unwanted kiss after the final of the Women’s World Cup.
The complaint was filed on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Spanish prosecutor’s office told CNN. “The statement was made at the attorney general’s office to protect the victim’s privacy,” the spokesman said.
Spanish prosecutors opened an investigation against Rubiales on August 28 and said they would contact her within two weeks to “inform her of her rights as a victim of a suspected crime of sexual aggression.”
Hermoso’s legal appeal is the next necessary step for the Spanish judiciary to begin proceedings against Rubiales, who has refused to resign as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Rubiales has apologized and described the kiss after the Spanish national team’s victory in the World Cup final on August 20 as “mutual” – a claim that Hermoso rejected, saying it was disrespected. FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, suspended Rubiales for 90 days while disciplinary proceedings continue.
The incident caused major convulsions in Spanish football: the government pushed for Rubiales’ resignation and RFEF fired Jorge Vilda from his role as coach of the women’s national team. He was replaced by Montse Tomé, the first woman in the history of the Spanish national team to hold the position.