BREAKING NEWS: Prosecutors open preliminary sex abuse probe into Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales

Prosecutors have opened a preliminary sex abuse investigation into Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales after he kissed Spain player Jennifer Hermoso on the lips without consent.

Spain’s top criminal court is probing whether Rubiales’ actions during the World Cup ‘kiss-gate’ scandal constitute sexual assault. He also grabbed his crotch in the royal box alongside Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter Infanta Sofia.

After La Roja beat England 1-0 in the Women’s World Cup final on August 20, the 46-year-old grabbed midfielder Hermoso in a tight embrace before kissing her on the mouth in a sudden gesture she said she ‘didn’t like’.

Rubiales, who has claimed she consented to the kiss – which Hermoso, 33, denies – has received widespread condemnation in the aftermath of the incident.

Rubiales was suspended by world football’s governing body FIFA on Saturday, one day after he repeatedly refused to resign and blamed ‘false feminists’ for the saga in a bizarre speech at an emergency meeting of the Spanish FA (RFEF) on Friday.

The Prosecutors’ Office said it has started the investigation because ‘the sexual act was not consented’. 

AFP quoted the Spanish national court as saying: ‘Prosecutors from the national court have opened a preliminary investigation to look into the facts, which could constitute an offence of sexual assault’, the statement adding that Hermoso will have the opportunity to submit a lawsuit herself.

The country’s government has urged the Spanish Sports Tribunal (TAD) to suspend Rubiales.

More to follow…