COURT GRANTS HERMOSO RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST RUBIALES
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Spain’s High Court on Friday imposed a restraining order to prevent former football federation chief Luis Rubiales from coming within 200 metres of forward Jenni Hermoso, as he appeared in court to be investigated for sexual assault.
Rubiales denied any wrongdoing during the hearing, which was his first court appearance since the start of the investigation into his behaviour after Spain’s Women’s World Cup final win in Sydney on Aug. 20.
State prosecutors had asked the investigating judge to consider issuing a restraining order to prohibit Rubiales from coming within 500 meters of Hermoso or trying to communicate with her, as well as a requirement for him to check in with a court every 15 days to ensure he does not flee the country.
The judge agreed to the order but imposed a stricter restraining order that forbids Rubiales from going within 200 metres of Hermoso, 33.
Rubiales, wearing a navy suit and white shirt, did not speak when arriving or leaving the courthouse with his lawyer Olga Tubau. He testified before Judge Francisco de Jorge, who is leading the investigation into the kiss. Hermoso will also be called to testify at a later date.
Spanish state prosecutors formally accused Rubiales last week of alleged sexual assault and an act of coercion when, according to Hermoso, he pressured her to speak out in his defence immediately after the scandal erupted.
The state prosecutors’ office said Rubiales denied both accusations when answering questions by the judge in an hour-long hearing that was closed to the public.
Rubiales sparked outrage when he grabbed the midfielder and kissed her on the lips in front of horrified spectators after Spain defeated England 1-0 in the World Cup final on August 20.
Rubiales, who was head of Spain’s RFEF football federation at the time, has repeatedly insisted the kiss was consensual.
But Hermoso has said it was not and left her feeling like the ‘victim of an assault’.
Neither Rubiales or his defence lawyer, Olga Tubau, spoke to the media outside the court.
Hermoso’s lawyer, Carla Vall i Duran, said they were satisfied with the hearing.
‘We can continue to affirm that the kiss was not consented to, which is what we have said from the very beginning,’ Vall i Duran said.
‘Thanks to the (images of the kiss), the entire world, the entire country, has been able to observe there was no type of consent. And we are going to prove that in the courtroom.’
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