MADRID — In a courtroom session on Wednesday, both Jenni Hermoso’s brother and a former teammate disclosed efforts to pressure her into minimizing the impact of an unsolicited kiss from Luis Rubiales, the ex-president of the Spanish football federation, during the awards ceremony that followed the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Rafael Hermoso recounted that Jorge Vilda, the former coach of the national women’s team, had reached out to him, requesting that Jenni record a video with Rubiales showing her approval of the kiss.
Misa Rodríguez, a former teammate of Hermoso, reported that Jenni expressed feelings of coercion to the rest of the team, stating that the stress from the incident was making her feel unwell.
The legal proceedings against Rubiales stem from allegations of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso without her consent, alongside charges of coercion related to his attempts to get her to affirm his version of events. Vilda, along with two additional former federation officials, is also facing coercion charges. All four individuals deny any wrongdoing.
Jenni Hermoso maintains that she did not agree to the kiss, contrasting with Rubiales’s claim that it was consensual. This incident has overshadowed Spain’s World Cup victory and ignited widespread outrage concerning sexism in sports and society at large.
During proceedings, Rafael Hermoso shared that Jenni confided in her family while emotionally distressed, relaying that federation officials were putting pressure on her to mitigate the significance of the kiss.
“She approached us, half in tears, stating they were urging her to tone down the kiss,” Rafael recounted.
Rodríguez mentioned that Jenni was uncertain on how to respond to the kiss and discussed the pressures she faced concerning recording a video. “She expressed her reluctance to do so, and we rallied behind her decision,” Rodríguez said. “We advised her to cease discussions with others and prioritize her well-being, as we recognized she was not in a good place.”
Rafael Hermoso also indicated that Vilda had approached him during the plane ride home from Australia, asking him to have a conversation with Jenni about the incident.
“We were engaged in a discussion about soccer and the team’s achievements when Vilda broached the subject of the kiss,” Rafael detailed. “He conveyed that the president wanted me to persuade Jenni to downplay the incident in a video, believing it to be the best course of action for everyone involved.”
He went on to say that Vilda expressed concerns for Rubiales, mentioning that the president’s daughters were upset and that Rubiales feared for his position. Vilda claimed that he had previously talked with Jenni, who was not amenable to recording the video.
“I told him I wouldn’t try to convince her to do something I personally disagreed with,” Rafael explained.
Rafael further stated that he interpreted Vilda’s comments as a veiled threat, hinting that Jenni might face difficulties within the federation if she refused to comply, suggesting she owed it to Rubiales’s daughters and him.
After the World Cup, Jenni Hermoso was not included in the national team roster, as new coach Montse Tomé cited a desire to safeguard her well-being.
Rubiales has yet to take the stand in the ongoing trial, which he has denied, claiming innocence. He resigned from his position three weeks later amid mounting pressure, receiving a three-year ban from FIFA. He has labeled the charges against him as part of a “witch hunt” by “false feminists.”
Prosecutors, along with Hermoso and the players’ association, are advocating for a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales and a fine of 50,000 euros (about $51,800) for damages, while seeking one and a half years in jail for the other defendants.
The trial, which is anticipated to extend over at least 10 days, commenced on Monday with Rubiales present on the first day. The head coach of the men’s national team, Luis de la Fuente, provided testimony the following day.
