(Geneva) Prosecuting the ousted president of the Spanish Soccer Federation Luis Rubiales for having kissed a player from the World Cup champion team without her consent “seems completely illogical,” the UEFA president suggested Aleksander Ceferin.
Spanish prosecutors are investigating accusations of sexual assault made by player Jenni Hermoso, following the incident involving Rubiales which occurred on August 20. She said he also intimidated her by asking her to publicly come to his defense.
A restraining order was issued by a judge last Friday in Madrid preventing Rubiales from approaching Hermoso within 200 meters. Rubiales denied Hermoso’s accusations during a hearing that took place behind closed doors.
Ceferin, a former lawyer who was elected UEFA president in 2016, said in an interview published in Slovenia on Sunday that what “Rubiales did is inappropriate and incomprehensible.”
“But when I hear that it could be criminal mischief – as a lawyer it seems completely illogical,” Ceferin told Slovenian television network N1.
Ceferin said he recommended Rubiales resign. Then, on September 10, three weeks after Spain’s Women’s Soccer World Cup victory, Rubiales announced his resignation as federation president and UEFA vice-president.
The next day, UEFA published its first statement about Rubiales since the final, highlighting his resignation – “and the public discourse” about his actions – before thanking him for his years of loyalty. services to European soccer.
Ceferin’s interview with the N1 channel was his second public outing about the scandal in a month. His first occurred 10 days after the final, and he told the French daily ‘L’Équipe’ that his behavior was inappropriate and that UEFA needed to do more to protect women’s soccer players.
