Currently abroad

Rubiales faces arrest on return to Spain

Spain's former head of the association Luis Rubiales(Bild: APA/AFP/Thomas COEX)

The former president of the Spanish Football Federation, Luís Rubiales, faces arrest as soon as he returns home from a trip abroad. A spokesperson for the judiciary in Madrid said on Thursday that the background to this is an investigation into alleged irregular contracts that were concluded during Rubiales' five-year presidency of the national association (RFEF). So far, however, there is no warrant for the 46-year-old's arrest.

His lawyer has said that her client will return home from the Dominican Republic on April 6. Whether Rubiales will actually be arrested on his return, as various Spanish media reported, depends on the decision of the elite UCO unit of the Spanish police Guardia Civil (Civil Guard), said the justice spokesman. It is responsible for economic crimes, among other things, and had searched RFEF offices in Madrid and Rubiales' home in Granada the previous day as part of an investigation that had already begun in 2022. The UCO could arrest people, which would then have to be confirmed by a court, the spokesperson explained.

Raid escaped
Spanish media reported that Rubiales had actually been due to be arrested the day before during the raids. Rubiales had only escaped this because he was abroad, reported the state TV station RTVE, the radio station Onda Cero and newspapers such as "El País", "Mundo Deportivo" and "AS".

According to a report by Onda Cero, two RFEF officials, two representatives of a law firm and a building contractor had already been arrested the previous day in connection with the searches. There is another suspect who is also in the Dominican Republic together with Rubiales. In a statement, the RFEF promised full cooperation with the authorities.

According to RTVE, the raids concerned several agreements and contracts concluded by the RFEF during the five-year term of office of Rubiales, who resigned as head of the association in September in the wake of the kissing scandal. Among these contracts was the awarding of the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia, which Rubiales signed in collaboration with former Barcelona professional and current businessman Gerard Piqué.

"Never did anything bad"
The alleged offenses include corruption in business transactions, unfair administration and money laundering. However, Rubiales is not aware of any guilt. "I have never done anything bad," he told the newspaper "El Español".

Rubiales resigned from his position as RFEF president in September after he kissed national player Jenni Hermoso on the mouth after Spain's World Cup victory in Australia last summer, causing worldwide outrage. He was banned for three years by FIFA, among others. Rubiales is also under criminal investigation in Spain for the incident.