Former head of Spain’s football team, Luis Rubiales, is scheduled to appear in court on sexual assault charges related to his forcible kiss on women’s World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on Friday.
This comes five days after he resigned from his position as the president of the Spanish football federation.
PUNCH METRO reported that Judge Francisco de Jorge, who is leading the probe, has ordered the 46-year-old to appear before him at Madrid’s Audiencia Nacional court at noon (1000 GMT).
A court statement released earlier this week indicated that Rubiales would be questioned as a defendant about charges of “sexual assault” during the session, which would be closed to the public.
At a later time, Hermoso will also be required to testify.
After Spain’s victory over England in the final on August 20, Rubiales caused uproar by forcibly kissing the midfielder in front of the global media.
Rubiales, at the time the chairman of the Spanish football association RFEF, has stated on multiple occasions that the kiss was mutually initiated.
Hermoso has stated that it was not, and that she was left feeling like the “victim of an assault.”
