Jenni Hermoso testifies in sexual assault case after kiss at Women's World Cup final
The Spanish player kissed on the lips by the soccer president at the Women's World Cup final appeared in court on Tuesday to testify in the sexual assault case against the former official.
Jenni Hermoso was at the Madrid court to give her version of the kiss by Luis Rubiales following Spain's victory over England in the final in Sydney in August.
"Everything went well," Hermoso told reporters afterwards. "The judicial process will continue its course, and thanks for the support that many of you had given to me."
The incident sparked outrage across the soccer world and ignited one of the worst crises in the history of the sport in Spain. It also led to a boycott of the national team by the World Cup-winning players, and to the eventual resignation of Rubiales despite his denial of wrongdoing and his allegation that the kiss was consensual.
Hermoso was expected to reiterate in court her allegations the kiss was unwanted and Rubiales and his staff tried to pressure her and her family to downplay the incident that tarnished Spain's first Women's World Cup title.
The testimony was behind closed doors. Spanish media said Hermoso asked the judge to keep her court appearance as private as possible. She arrived wearing a grey coat and waved to journalists before entering the court through one of its main entrances along with her lawyers.
Spanish state prosecutors accused Rubiales of sexual assault and coercion, alleging he tried to convince Hermoso and her relatives to publicly downplay the kiss.
The judge is also hearing testimony from other World Cup-winning players, coaches and federation officials, before deciding whether to start a trial.
Rubiales previously denied wrongdoing to the judge who imposed a restraining order on