What Luis Rubiales’s trial will reveal
Spectator (UK)2 days
Ex-Spanish Soccer Chief on Trial Over World Cup Kiss
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Above: Luis Rubiales (R) kisses Jennifer Hermoso during the FIFA Women's World Cup Final medal ceremony at Stadium Australia on Aug. 20, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. Image copyright: Noemi Llamas/Contributor/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
The Facts
Former Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales went on trial in Madrid on Monday over charges of sexual assault and coercion for kissing player Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony after Spain's 2023 Women's World Cup victory.
During her testimony, Hermoso said she never consented to the kiss and felt disrespected, telling Madrid's High Court, "I knew I was being kissed by my boss and that should not happen in any social or work environment."
The 34-year-old forward claimed that Rubiales, 47, "grabbed" her head "effusively," adding, "I couldn't react. It was a thousandth of a second. I felt that it was completely out of context."
The Spin
Narrative A
Rubiales' kiss was a spontaneous gesture of celebration during a moment of national triumph, occurring without bad faith in a time of maximum jubilation. The incident has been blown out of proportion amidst cultural and political posturing, and become a witch hunt against Rubiales.
Narrative B
This inappropriate act represented an abuse of power and highlighted deep-rooted sexism in Spanish soccer, tainting what should have been one of the greatest achievements in Spanish women's sports history. The incident demonstrates how female athletes continue to face inappropriate treatment from male authority figures.
