Women maintain placards, depicting purple card in soccer, that learn “Stop Violence against Women” throughout a protest towards Royal Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales and in assist of the participant Jenni Hermoso at Sant Jaume Square in Barcelona, Spain, on September 4, 2023.| Photo Credit: Reuters

Spanish soccer participant Jenni Hermoso has accused Luis Rubiales of sexual assault for kissing her on the lips with out her consent after the Women’s World Cup remaining, the nation's prosecutors’ workplace mentioned Wednesday.

Rubiales, the now-suspended president of the Spanish soccer federation, kissed Hermoso on the lips in the course of the awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia.

Rubiales has insisted the kiss was consensual. Hermoso has denied that in statements issued by her and her gamers' union. She additionally mentioned she and her household have been pressured by the federation to point out her assist for Rubiales within the quick aftermath of the scandal attributable to the kiss that tarnished her workforce’s victory.

The prosecutors’ workplace in Madrid mentioned that, in keeping with a sexual consent legislation handed final yr, Rubiales may face a superb or a jail sentence of 1 to 4 years if discovered responsible. The new legislation eradicated the distinction between “sexual harassment” and “sexual assault,” sanctioning any unconsented sexual act.

Spain’s authorities, gamers’ unions, gamers and many voters have come out in assist of Hermoso. Rubiales, in the meantime, has develop into a soccer outcast even whereas he refuses to resign.

Rubiales was suspended from his submit by FIFA on Aug. 27, a day after he refused to step down when he delivered a defiant speech to the final meeting of his federation wherein he mentioned he was sufferer of a “witch hunt” by “false feminists.” Rubiales was banned from his submit for 90 days whereas the physique’s disciplinary judges contemplate his case. FIFA can impose sanctions on people starting from warnings and fines to suspensions from the game.

The 46-year-old Rubiales additionally faces motion from the Spanish authorities. A authorities authorized panel overseeing sports activities has opened a probe to find out if he abused his authority by kissing Hermoso or tainted the picture of Spain together with his conduct. He faces being deemed unfit to carry his submit for as much as two years.

He may doubtlessly face a no-confidence vote by the federation, a transfer that the establishment has but to make regardless of having requested him to resign.

But the choice by Hermoso represents the largest problem to Rubiales to this point because it may result in a legal case.

The prosecutor’s workplace mentioned Hermoso made the accusation on Tuesday. Prosecutors had mentioned final week that they have been going to fulfill with Hermoso to offer her the chance to current an accusation towards Rubiales. Interim federation president Pedro Rocha is taken into account an ally of Rubiales.

In that Aug. 26 speech earlier than the federation meeting, Rubiales mentioned that the kiss was “mutual” and like one “I could give one of my daughters.”

Hermoso responded by saying that was a lie.

“I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-driven, sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part,” Hermoso mentioned in an announcement posted on social media. "Simply put, I was not respected."

Hermoso, a 33-year-old ahead, now performs for Mexican membership Pachuca after a protracted profession with prime Spanish and European golf equipment, together with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid.

Rubiales’ conduct on the remaining, which included a lewd crotch seize whereas subsequent to dignitaries together with Spain’s queen and teenage princess, mixed together with his controversial speech have torn Spanish soccer aside.

On Tuesday, the federation fired the coach of Spain’s Women's World Cup champion workforce, Jorge Vilda. Despite main the workforce to the title, Vilda was nonetheless thought-about an unpopular determine amongst its gamers and near Rubiales. One yr in the past, 15 gamers mentioned they might not play for him till he created a extra skilled work atmosphere.

After Rubiales refused to step down final week and accused Hermoso of mendacity, all the workforce of World Cup winners plus dozens extra gamers mentioned they might not play once more for Spain till the president was gone.

Spain's males's workforce has additionally been impacted. Coach Luis de la Fuente needed to apologize for having applauded Rubiales' sexist-tinged speech to the final meeting. His gamers additionally condemned Rubiales' conduct in an announcement.

So far, there isn't any indication that the ladies gamers are set to return to the workforce even after the removing of Vilda.

Spain's left-wing authorities and its girls gamers hope that the backlash towards Rubiales can result in a reckoning with sexism in soccer.