Spain’s government announced on Tuesday that it has filed additional material to a specialist sports tribunal investigating its accusations against scandal-plagued football boss Luis Rubiales, who stirred controversy by forcibly kissing a Women’s World Cup player.
The data was requested by the Administrative Tribunal for Sport (TAD), which on Monday began investigating two complaints submitted by the government against Rubiales, president of Spain’s RFEF football federation, regarding his conduct at the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney on August 20.
The National Sports Council (CSD), which is part of the Ministry of Sports, filed the accusations on Friday when Rubiales forcibly kissed Spain player Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the medal-giving ceremony.
“The National Sports Council has sent the required documentation,” the organisation said, referring to various public statements made by Hermoso, the Futpro women footballers’ union and the Women’s Professional Football League.
Rubiales has vigorously defended the unsolicited kiss as “just a peck” that was entirely consensual, and repeatedly refused to resign.
But Hermoso said the unwanted kiss had left her feeling “vulnerable and like the victim of an assault”, describing it as “an impulsive, macho act, out of place and with no type of consent on my part”.
He also came under fire for grabbing his crotch with both hands as he celebrated Spain’s 1-0 win against England while standing next to Spain’s Queen Letizia.
The government has accused Rubiales of “very serious offences” with the complaints referring to “abuses of authority” and “notorious and public acts that undermine the dignity and decorum of sport”.
If the TAD accepts the complaints and initiates proceedings, the National Sports Council will be able to suspend Rubiales within 48 hours until the court’s final ruling in the case.
It was unclear how long it would take the TAD to decide on whether to admit the complaints.
FIFA has already suspended the 46-year-old for 90 days while it decides on disciplinary action.
On Tuesday, Sports Minister Miquel Iceta responded to concerns that the procedures against Rubiales were taking too long, saying the government had been “very scrupulous” in adhering to the text of the law in order to avoid “any future challenges or appeals that could lengthen the process.”
Prosecutors in Spain have also begun a preliminary inquiry into Rubiales’ kiss on the grounds that it could constitute “s**ual assault,” which under Spanish law encompasses a wide range of offenses ranging from internet abuse to r*pe.