The Spanish World Cup-winning footballer, Jenni Hermoso, has testified to a Madrid court that the kiss she received from former football federation president Luis Rubiales was not consensual.
After the World Cup final last year, he seized Ms. Hermoso by the head and kissed her on the lips.
A judge will now determine whether Mr. Rubiales should face charges of sexual assault and coercion.
“All is in the hands of justice, that’s all I can say,” she told reporters.
The former federation chief denies the allegations.
Ms Hermoso, Spain’s top scorer, testified to the court for around two and a half hours, and according to Spanish media she told the judge the kiss was “unexpected and at no time consensual”.
Her testimony reportedly reiterated statements provided several months ago to prosecutors, which were subsequently leaked to Spanish TV.
The court is scrutinizing evidence, including CCTV footage, to determine whether her criminal complaint of sexual assault and coercion should proceed to trial.
The incident occurred during the medal ceremony in Sydney on August 20 last year, following Spain’s victory over England.
Initially, a statement attributed to Ms. Hermoso shortly after the final had suggested that the kiss was consensual. However, she later voiced grievances about being pressured by officials from the Spanish football federation to endorse the statement.
Mr. Rubiales is currently under investigation for potential coercion related to his alleged involvement in pressuring Ms. Hermoso.
Jorge Vilda, the coach who guided the team to World Cup victory before his subsequent dismissal, is currently under investigation, along with Albert Luque and Rubén Rivera, both executives of the federation.
Ms. Hermoso expressed that she did not desire the kiss and perceived herself as a “victim of assault.” According to Spanish law, a non-consensual kiss can be considered a form of sexual assault.
Mr. Rubiales has consistently asserted that the kiss was a “consensual peck.” Nevertheless, following the incident, he was compelled to resign as the president of the Spanish football federation.
Prosecutors initiated an inquiry, and in September, investigating judge Francisco de Jorge prohibited him from approaching the footballer within 200m (650ft).
In a statement leaked to Spanish TV in October, Ms. Hermoso conveyed that she felt “clearly disrespected” as both a player and an individual.
“I didn’t do anything to land myself in that situation… how could I expect it in that scenario of a medal ceremony at a World Cup final?”
On Monday, the 33-year-old Ms. Hermoso revealed her club switch, departing from Mexico’s Pachuca, where she had been playing since 2022, to join Tigres UANL, the nation’s most accomplished women’s team.
Her involvement in the controversy has elevated her to a notable public figure outside the realm of football.
During a New Year’s Eve appearance on the national broadcaster TVE, she expressed gratitude for “the positive shift we are instigating in terms of equality and solidarity.” She also congratulated her Spanish teammates for “the empowerment we have attained.”