Kissing scandal:

Prosecutor demands prison sentence for Luis Rubiales

According to media reports, the public prosecutor's office has requested two and a half years in prison for former Spanish soccer association president Luis Rubiales in the criminal proceedings surrounding the kissing scandal. He should also pay 50,000 euros in compensation to the world champion Jennifer Hermoso, whom he kissed on the mouth during the award ceremony after winning the World Cup title last summer, Spanish media reported on Wednesday, citing the judiciary.

A year in prison had been requested for sexual aggression in the form of the non-consensual kiss and one and a half years for coercion. The charge of coercion relates to the fact that Rubiales and three other soccer officials put pressure on Hermoso to publicly declare that the kiss was consensual. One and a half years in prison had been requested for each of the other three officials for coercion. All four defendants together were also ordered to pay Hermoso a total of 50,000 euros in compensation.

Despite inquiries, there was initially no confirmation from the judiciary. A date for the oral hearing was not announced. Prison sentences of up to two years are generally suspended in Spain.

However, Rubiales is also facing trouble in other proceedings. He is threatened with arrest on his return from a stay abroad. The background to this is an investigation into alleged irregular contracts that were concluded during Rubiales' five-year presidency of the national association (RFEF), a spokesperson for the judiciary in Madrid said when asked last Thursday.

Arrest warrant
So far, however, there is no warrant for the arrest of the 46-year-old, whose lawyer has said that her client will return home from the Dominican Republic on April 6. Rubiales has denied the allegations.