Spain judge proposes Rubiales go on trial for World Cup kiss

(FILES) Spain’s defender #20 Rocio Galvez is congratulated by President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales (R) next to Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso after winning the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women’s World Cup final football match between Spain and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney on August 20, 2023. – A Spanish judge on January 25, 2024 proposed that disgraced former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales be tried over the kiss he forced on World Cup star Jenni Hermoso. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

A Spanish judge on Thursday proposed that disgraced former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales be tried over the kiss he forced on Women’s World Cup star Jenni Hermoso.

In a ruling following his preliminary investigation, judge Francisco de Jorge of Spain’s Audiencia Nacional top criminal court concluded that the kiss “was not consensual and was a unilateral and unexpected move” by Rubiales, who is facing charges of sexual assault and coercion.

He also proposed putting three others on trial for subsequently exerting pressure on Hermoso, 33, “to make a public statement confirming the kiss was consensual”: former women’s coach Jorge Vilda, men’s team director Albert Luque and RFEF marketing boss Ruben Rivera.

All three have also been investigated by the judge.

During the incident on August 20, which took place live in front of the cameras after Spain beat England to win the Women’s World Cup final in Australia, Rubiales held Hermoso’s head in both hands and forcibly kissed her on the lips.

He has described the act as “a consensual peck” but Hermoso has insisted it was not.

In his ruling, De Jorge said questions about “whether the aim was erotic or not and about the excitement stemming from the extraordinary