Spanish television broadcast World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso’s statement to prosecutors, in which she said the former national soccer coach kissed her on the lips without her consent after the final.
This was the first time that Hermoso’s testimony was heard in her own words, and she told prosecutors that she “felt clearly disrespected” both as an athlete and as a person.
Luis Rubiales has denied sexually assaulting or coercing football players.
He eventually resigned following protests.
In a statement recorded at the public prosecutor’s office in early September and broadcast on commercial television station Telecinco, Hermoso complained that his image had been tarnished by the Spanish Football Federation. “As an employee of that federation, no one protected me,” she said.
She told how Spain’s players were celebrating their victory at the Women’s World Cup in Sydney, Australia last August, when their victory was overshadowed by a kiss from the president of the Spanish Football Federation. Ta.
She said she hugged Luis Rubiales and told him, “We made it.” Afterward, the man told her that she owed her victory, put his hand on her head and kissed her on the lips, but she doesn’t remember anything else.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” I heard her say. “I didn’t do anything to be in that situation… How can you predict that in a scenario of a medal ceremony at the World Cup final?”
In her testimony, Hermoso broke down in tears as she described the pressure she was under in the aftermath, explaining: “I had to leave Madrid to avoid that pressure.”
Hermoso, 33, recalled that he immediately told teammates Alexia Putelas and Irene Paredes about what happened at the stadium, but was careful to avoid doing anything that would steal the limelight. ing.
But even before the team left the stadium, a soccer federation official approached her and asked her to get off the team bus en route to sign a press statement for the world’s media stating that the kiss was mutual. she said.
“I didn’t say a word of that sentence,” she said. “I felt forced again.”
When asked about a video being played showing teammates joking about kissing on the bus, he said only a few people had seen the footage and to break it up, he said, “I start crying in the corner.” “I couldn’t have done that,” she said. Celebratory atmosphere.
Hermoso was also heard explaining how Luis Rubiales approached her to appear in a video with him for his two daughters, who were crying on the flight home.
When the former federation president resigned last month, he insisted the kiss was mutual and consensual and that he believed the truth would prevail.
Monday night’s broadcast will see former team coach Jorge Vilda appear before a judge investigating whether he took part in an attempt on Tuesday to pressure the Spain forward to say the kiss was consensual. It took place a few hours ago.
Wilda denies coercing Hermoso and claims she did not witness the kiss because she was at the end of the group receiving the winner’s medal.
But on the flight from Sydney to Madrid, he realized she was unhappy and apparently admitted he had spoken to her brother.
The pressure from the federation’s numbers appears to have continued after the team returned to Spain. When they went on a celebratory trip to Ibiza, she says two more officials became involved and tried to use her family and friends to talk to her.
Ruben Rivera, RFEF’s marketing director, was also scheduled to appear before the judge on Tuesday. According to reports, he also denies trying to persuade the footballer or his brother to absolve Luis Rubiales of responsibility.
Last month, Madrid-born Jenni Hermoso returned to Mexican club Pachuca and has become a key figure in Mexico’s Liga MX.