Ex-Spain Football Boss Luis Rubiales In Court Over World Cup Kiss Scandal

Five days after resigning as Spain's football chief, Luis Rubiales appeared before a judge on Friday investigating a complaint of sexual assault over forcibly kissing women's World Cup player Jenni Hermoso. His hearing came as the World Cup-winning footballers said they would continue their boycott of the national team unless there are more reforms at the Spanish football federation, despite Rubiales' resignation over the affair. Dozens of journalists were on hand as the 46-year-old left Madrid's Audiencia Nacional court after he was questioned by Judge Francisco de Jorge who is heading up the investigation.

Rubiales did not speak to the press.

He was questioned at the closed-door hearing as a defendant in regards to allegations of "sexual assault". Hermoso will also be called to testify at a later date.

At the hearing Rubiales once again maintained the kiss was consensual, a judicial source said.

Public prosecutors, meanwhile, asked the judge to ban Rubiales from coming within 500 metres (1,600 feet) of Hermoso and communicating with her by any means while the investigation is underway, the source added.

The case comes barely four weeks after Rubiales sparked outrage when he forcibly kissed the midfielder in front of the world's media after Spain defeated England in the final.

Rubiales, who was head of Spain's RFEF football federation at the time, has repeatedly insisted the kiss was consensual.

Hermoso has said it was not and that it left her feeling like the "victim of an assault".

De Jorge on Monday admitted a complaint against Rubiales filed the previous week by the public prosecutors' office, citing alleged "offences of sexual assault" and "coercion".

Under a recent reform of the Spanish penal code, a