Luis Rubiales: Shocking Restraining Order - Blocked from Coming Close to Jenni Hermoso!
Former Spanish FA president, Luis Rubiales, faces a restraining order after resigning amidst controversy for allegedly kissing Jenni Hermoso at the Women's World Cup final Rubiales denies any wrongdoing as the court grants a ban on his proximity to Hermoso
Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish FA, has been prohibited from being within a 200m radius of Jenni Hermoso due to concerns expressed by her World Cup-winning teammates, who feel unsafe representing their country. In a statement issued on Friday, thirty-nine female soccer players from Spain, with the exception of two members from the World Cup squad, highlighted their apprehensions regarding the controversy surrounding Rubiales' alleged non-consensual kiss on Hermoso.
The players have requested additional changes to the federation but have not indicated whether they will persist with their boycott of playing for the national team. The statement, signed by notable players including Hermoso, Alexia Putellas, Olga Carmona, and former Manchester United player Ona Batlle, expresses that the recent changes implemented by the (FA) are insufficient for the players to feel secure, respected, and supported in women's football, hindering their ability to perform at their best.
The players in the Spanish team are highly skilled professionals, and our greatest source of pride is representing our team by wearing the jersey and consistently guiding our country to the top positions.
Therefore, we are convinced that it is now time to strive towards eradicating such situations and practices from our football and society, and to bring about necessary changes to the existing system. We are determined to do this for the sake of future generations, ensuring a more equitable game that we all rightly deserve.
In addition, the statement has been endorsed by several players who had previously withdrawn from the Spain squad due to issues relating to the conditions within the national team setup, including Mapi Leon and Patricia Guijarro.
The newly appointed coach of Spain's women's team, Montse Tom, was forced to postpone the announcement of her inaugural squad following the players' declaration. The federation stated that their efforts to persuade the players to rejoin the team were declined by them on Friday morning.
Judge bans Rubiales from within 200m of Hermoso
Tom will need to make a decision regarding whether to retain the repulsive players or opt for an entirely different team for the forthcoming Nations League games against Sweden and Switzerland on September 22 and 26.Earlier on Friday, Spain's High Court issued a restraining order against Rubiales after he attended court to face investigation for sexual assault charges related to kissing Hermoso on the lips.
Judge Francisco de Jorge has implemented a restraining order forbidding Rubiales from approaching Hermoso within a 200-meter radius. Although the state prosecutors sought a broader prohibition of 500 meters, Rubiales vehemently denied any misconduct following inquiries regarding the incident of him kissing Hermoso.
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Luis Rubiales, the previous president of the Spanish FA, has arrived at the National Court in Madrid, Spain. The judge has dismissed the prosecutors' plea to require Rubiales to report to the court every 15 days, and also rejected the lawyer's request to freeze Rubiales' assets.
Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips following Spain's victory over England in the Women's World Cup final in Australia last month. While Rubiales claims that Hermoso had given her consent for the kiss, she has repeatedly denied this. Last week, Spanish state prosecutors officially charged Rubiales with sexual assault and coercion. According to Hermoso, Rubiales exerted pressure on her to publicly support his defense immediately after the scandal came to light.
Rubiales denied both accusations during an hour-long closed-door hearing, as stated by the state prosecutors' office. Neither Rubiales nor his defense lawyer, Olga Tubau, made any comments to the media outside the National Court.
Hermoso's lawyer, Carla Vall i Duran, expressed her satisfaction with the hearing, reiterating their stance on the kiss. "We maintain our assertion that the kiss was non-consensual, as we have maintained from the start," Vall i Duran stated.
She further emphasized the significance of the images of the kiss, highlighting that they have enabled the global and national audience to witness the absence of consent. "We will substantiate this fact in the court," Vall i Duran concluded.
The 46-year-old Rubiales succumbed to strong pressure from government and soccer authorities on Sunday and declared his resignation as the Spanish president. He had previously been temporarily suspended by FIFA.
De Jorge is currently conducting a preliminary investigation into the allegations against Rubiales and will subsequently determine if the case should proceed to trial.
Under the sexual consent law implemented in Spain in the previous year, Rubiales may be subject to imprisonment or a fine ranging from one to four years if proven guilty of committing sexual assault. The recently enacted legislation eradicated the distinction between "sexual harassment" and "sexual assault," making any non-consensual sexual act punishable.
Hermoso, prior to departing Spain to join her Mexican club, Pachuca, had already provided her testimony to the state prosecutors in relation to her allegations of sexual assault against Rubiales.
Following the World Cup final, Rubiales claimed that the kiss was "mutual" and comparable to a gesture he would make towards his own daughters.
However, Hermoso vehemently denied this assertion, stating, "That is a falsehood. I felt exposed and victimized, subjected to an unwarranted, sexist act that I did not consent to," as noted in a statement shared on social media. "In essence, I was not treated with respect."
