The trial for the non-consensual kiss of Luis Rubiales to Jenni Hermoso continues to generate controversy. Jorge Vilda, former coach of the Spanish women's national team, testified in court, denying having pressured the player to downplay the incident.
Vilda stated that he spoke with Hermoso's brother to try to 'normalize the situation' and that he received no order from Rubiales to do so. He explained that his concern was the media impact of the incident and treated it as anecdotal and insignificant.
However, Hermoso's brother testified that Vilda threatened him with consequences for the player in the national team if he did not cooperate to minimize the incident. He also claimed that Vilda asked him to convince Jenni to record a video with Rubiales to try to resolve the situation.
For his part, Rubiales repeatedly denied committing a crime and claimed that the kiss was consensual. The player, on her part, maintains her version of events, stating that she felt violated and humiliated.
The Prosecutor's Office charges Rubiales with sexual assault and coercion, seeking a sentence of two and a half years in prison. Vilda and other former officials of the federation are also being tried for coercion.
The new national team coach, Montse Tomé, defended her decision not to call up Hermoso after the World Cup, stating that it is not a punishment but a measure to protect her from the media circus that arose after the incident.
