The Public Prosecutor's Office maintains that the kiss was not consensual and accuses the former RFEF president of subsequent coercion

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The prosecution maintains its request for 2.5 years in prison for Luis Rubiales for sexual assault of Jenni Hermoso

On 12 February, the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Audiencia Nacional reaffirmed its request for a sentence of two and a half years in prison for Luis Rubiales, former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), for a crime of sexual assault and another of coercion against the player Jennifer Hermoso. 

Prosecutor Marta Durántez has made her conclusions definitive in the final phase of the trial, in which three former RFEF executives are also charged: former women's national team coach Jorge Vilda, former men's national team director Albert Luque and former head of marketing Rubén Rivera. For these three defendants, the prosecution is asking for a year and a half in prison for alleged coercion aimed at getting Hermoso to publicly declare that the kiss was consensual. 

During his statement, Rubiales has maintained that the kiss was consensual, claiming that he asked Hermoso for permission to give her ‘a little kiss’ and that she agreed. However, the prosecution maintains that there was no such consent and that, furthermore, pressure was exerted on the player to play down the incident. 

In her closing argument, prosecutor Durántez insisted that Hermoso never claimed that the kiss was consensual and questioned the credibility of Rubiales' version. She also criticised the re-victimisation of Hermoso by questioning his behaviour after the incident, pointing out that it is unfair to demand specific behaviour from victims of sexual assault. 

For his part, Jorge Vilda has denied having pressured Hermoso's brother to minimise the importance of the kiss, describing the accusations as ‘lies’. Albert Luque and Rubén Rivera have also rejected the accusations against them, assuring that they did not coerce the player. 

The trial will conclude on 19 February, with all national and international attention focused on the judge's final decision.