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FOOTBALL

Disgraced former Spanish football chief ‘forcefully kissed’ England star

Disgraced former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales behaved inappropriately towards England players after the Women's World Cup final, according to Football Association chairwoman Debbie Hewitt.

Disgraced former Spanish football chief 'forcefully kissed' England star
Luis Rubiales leaves the Audiencia Nacional court in September. Photo: Thomas COEX/AFP.

World governing body FIFA in October imposed a three-year ban from all football activities on Rubiales over his conduct at the match, which included kissing Spanish player Jenni Hermoso without her consent.

European champions England lost the final in Sydney 1-0.

FIFA has now published its findings into the case, saying it had been tempted to impose a more severe sanction. The FIFA disciplinary committee said Rubiales had acted with “a sense of complete impunity” at the game on August 20.

“The committee could not stress enough that — regardless of the emotional state he was in during and after the match — (Rubiales’) behaviour was inexcusable and unacceptable, especially considering his high rank within the football ecosystem at the time,” it said.

Hewitt was asked to give evidence and the report includes a summary of her submission.

READ ALSO: Death of the Iberian macho: What the Rubiales kiss uproar says about Spain

According to the report, Hewitt said Rubiales “cupped and stroked” the face of England’s Laura Coombs and “seemingly forcefully kissed Lucy Bronze on her face” at the presentation ceremony.

Hewitt added she “felt deeply uncomfortable and embarrassed” at the way Rubiales greeted the Spanish players, which included tapping one on the bottom. According to the report, she also noted Rubiales kissing Hermoso “fully and forcibly on the mouth”.

In his response, Rubiales accused Hewitt of “blatantly” lying or “speaking from ignorance” in relation to the kiss. Rubiales, who resigned from his position in September after initially vowing not to stand down, indicated his intention to appeal against the ban on the day it was issued.

Five days after resigning as Spain’s football chief, Rubiales appeared before a judge investigating a complaint of sexual assault over the Hermoso incident.

Rubiales has repeatedly insisted the kiss was consensual.

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FOOTBALL

Rubiales to go on trial in February in Spain over unwanted kiss

Disgraced former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales will stand trial in February next year for his unsolicited kiss on the lips of Women's World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso, the court overseeing the process said Monday.

Rubiales to go on trial in February in Spain over unwanted kiss

Rubiales, 46, provoked worldwide outrage by kissing Hermoso during the medal ceremony after Spain beat England to win the World Cup in Australia last year.

In May a court had ruled Rubiales should be tried for sexual assault over the kiss, and for the alleged coercion subsequently exerted to make her say that it was consensual, without setting a date.

The trial will be held at the Audiencia Nacional, a Madrid court in charge of complex cases, from February 3 to 19, the court said in a statement.

Public prosecutors have requested a sentence of two-and-a-half years in prison for Luis Rubiales — one year for sexual assault and 18 months for coercion.

The prosecution is also asking for two years’ probation once the sentence has been served and for him to pay €50,000 ($54,000) in compensation to the player.

Rubiales is also under investigation in a separate alleged corruption case involving his reign at the federation, has denied any wrongdoing.

Three of his former associates are also being tried for putting pressure on Hermoso: former women’s coach Jorge Vilda, men’s team director Albert Luque and federation marketing boss Ruben Rivera.

The kiss took place live in front of the world’s cameras, provoking widespread outrage and prompting his suspension by world football governing body FIFA.

At the time, Rubiales brushed it off as “a consensual” peck on the lips, but Hermoso, 34, said it was not.

Under Spanish law, a non-consensual kiss can be classed as sexual assault — a criminal category that groups all types of sexual violence.

Rubiales told private Spanish television station La Sexta in April that he could not understand how the kiss he gave Hermoso could be labelled as sexual assault, saying there was “no sexual context” to it.

He denied accusations that he and other federation officials coerced Hermoso by pressuring her to speak out in his defence after the scandal erupted.

“I have a clear conscience, things have been blown out of proportion,” Rubiales said.

Hermoso filed a lawsuit against Rubiales in September, telling the judge she had come under pressure to defend him both on the flight back from Australia and on a subsequent team holiday to Ibiza in the Balearic Islands.

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