Spanish footballer teammates Jenni Hermoso gave a testimony to her account that he felt overwhelmed after being allegedly kissed by former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales.
Her teammates Irene Paredes, Laia Codin and Alexia Putellas appeared at the trial of Mr. Rubiales at the Madrid National Court on Thursday, where he was charged with sexual abuse and coercion.
Mrs. Putellas said Mrs. Hermos felt “overwhelmed” after the incident, while Mrs. Codin said she was “sad” and “she doesn’t enjoy herself.”
Mr. Rubiales kissed Mrs. Hermoso on his lips during the FIFA Women’s Cup medal in Australia, launching protests and calls for his resignation. He denies any injustice.
Jenni Hermoso told the Court on Monday That she had never allowed permission to kiss on the World Cup medal ceremony and felt “dishonest” as a woman.
Ms. Putellas said at the time she thought the incident was “happy” and “misunderstanding”, but that later Mrs. Hermoso showed her video and told her that she did not know how it occurred to Mr. Rubiales to kiss her, toward the local Spanish media.
The court heard from Mrs. Paredes that while on the bus to Sydney Airport after the World Cup finals, she told her teammates to stop jokes about the incident, saying it was “serious”.
Mrs. Putellas said Mrs. Hermoso was “flooded” on the plane back to Spain.
“She started crying with exhaustion,” Barcelona added.
The 31-year-old said that Mrs. Hermoso was asked to talk to Mr. Rubiales on the plane and told her that she should “go out” and “deny that there is no consent in the kiss.”
“She was angry and said she had no need to explain to her the facts because she experienced it, that she would not do it,” Mrs. Putellas said.
Mrs. Codin said at the trial that during the celebration of the team on the Spanish island of Ibiza, Mrs. Hermoso was “sad, she did not enjoy herself, far from that” even though “it was supposed to be the best moment of her life.
Three colleagues Mr Rubiala were also judged, accused of conflict in alleged forced: Jorge Vilda, the coach of the foreign World Cup win, Rubén Rivera, former head of the Federation Marketing and former sports director Albert Luque. Everyone denies charges.
On Wednesday, the court heard that Mr. Vilda spoke with Rafael Hermoso – brother Jenni Hermoso – on the flight back to Spain, telling him that Mr. Rubiales was afraid of his position, according to the local Spanish media.
Mr. Vilda asked him to talk to his sister about making a video with MS Rubiales who would diminish the kiss.
The coach warned that his sister could face the “professional and personal consequences” if he did not cooperate, said Rafael Hermoso.
Talking in court on Monday, Ms. Hermoso said that she and the then president of the royal Spanish Football Federation hugged and celebrated at a football event, saying that he then grabbed her “for his ears and a kiss[ed] I on the mouth. “
“I didn’t hear or understand anything,” she said, adding that “the kiss on her lips is given only when I decide that way.”
The footballer said he felt “completely abandoned by the Federation.”
Prosecutors call on Mr. Rubial to receive a one -year prison sentence for a sexual attack for a kiss. They also invite him to be held for a year and a half for coercion, because he is allegedly trying to press Mrs. Hermoso to say publicly that the kiss was an agreement. Rubiales denies charges.
The trial continues.
