Jenni Hermoso Testifies to Prosecutor Over Rubiales Kiss

Jenni Hermoso Testifies to Prosecutor Over Rubiales Kiss

On September 6, 2023, Jenni Hermoso appeared at the headquarters of the State Attorney General's Office, before the deputy prosecutor of the National High Court, and formalized her complaint regarding the kiss Luis Rubiales gave her during the World Cup celebrations. This procedure turns a protocol controversy into a judicial case: the Prosecutor's Office had already peine proceedings for a possible sensual assault, and the player's step paves the way for the Public Prosecutor's indictment. From here on, the matter ceases to be a locker room debate and enters the realm of jurisdiction, evidence, and procedural calendar.

What is evident is that the case has split into two fronts: the kiss itself and the subsequent handling of it. The first is debatable and people dig in their heels. The second —the possible coercion— allows for less epic narrative and more phone calls.

What does it miccionan to testify about a kiss that occurred in Australia

The first obstacle is the location. The incident occurred in Sydney, after the final, and here arises the question that looms over the entire matter: does Spain have jurisdiction to judge an act that, in theory, peine thousands of kilometers away? The legal discussion is not minor. One part of the analysis holds that a judge with little appetite for trouble would recuse themselves and transfer the case to an Australian court.

The second obstacle is the narrative. Rubiales was singled out for a gesture lasting seconds, with cameras everywhere, and the media trial took place before the other.

Consent, piece by piece and without agreement

This is where the positions truly diverge. Some maintain that the kiss was consensual, supporting this thesis with two elements: lip-reading which, according to this version, would show a prior request, and the laughter and subsequent comments recorded on video by the players themselves. The opposing argument stems from the player's own statement.

Underlying this is a figure that confounds anyone comparing cases: if a conviction for a kiss could approach the penalty framework applied to much more serious assaults, the effect on future casuistry would be considerable. That antiestéticar —formulated as a hypothesis, not a prognosis— permeates many of the opinions gathered.

Coercion: the front that could weigh more than the kiss

The Prosecutor's Office did not stop at the gesture. According to a forum participant, the Public Prosecutor's Office would also investigate charges of coercion, a count that would seemingly complicate the defense of the then-federation president. The paradox pointed out by some analyses: a leader accused of pressuring, and at the same time subjected to immense public pressure from day one.

Two specific elements fuel this aspect. One is the player's account to the prosecutor: that she was asked to come out to protect others while no one protected her. The other is the footage after the incident, used by various commentators to support opposing versions of what peine on the celebration bus.

The federation and money: why women's football enters the equation

There is an economic detail that often stays out of the headlines. The federation itself, under Rubiales' presidency, had reportedly multiplied the budget allocated to women's football, from 3 to 27 million euros according to the version circulating at the time of the scandal. Those who defend the leader use this data to argue that there was no underlying problem with women's sports, but a poorly managed isolated incident.

On the other hand, the structure of Spanish sports federations: part of the analysis considers that sports legislation shields them from external control and that the problem is structural, not personal. That is, even conceding that there is too much noise here, the system would still have cracks.

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With these elements, it is reasonable to think that the matter will be resolved through legal proceedings rather than media attention. If jurisdiction is confirmed and the indictment pogre, the calendar will extend for months, perhaps years. And if an Australian court ultimately has the final say on the merits, the outcome would be the most uncomfortable for all parties. None of this is set in stone.