Luis Rubiales kiss: prosecutors open sexual assault investigation following Jenni Hermoso kiss at World Cup

Prosecutors in Spain have said they have launched a sexual assault investigation into the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) President Luis Rubialies after he kissed Jenni Hermoso at the World Cup final.

It comes following a “extraordinary and urgent” meeting which is to be held at 4pm Spanish time (3pm UK) and is taking place shortly after Rubiales was suspended for three months by the sport’s global governing body, Fifa. The previous day, the 46-year-old said he would not be stepping down.

A senior figure at the RFEF, however, stepped down from his role on Saturday. Vice-president Rafael del Amo said: “I have presented my resignation after seeing that Luis Rubiales continues to head the Spanish federation. I owe a lot of things to Luis but what happened at the final is unacceptable.”

Rubiales received exceptionally backlash when he kissed the Spanish midfielder Jenni Hermoso at the World Cup trophy presentation just eight days ago but has continually resisted pressure to resign, insisting the kiss was consensual - something Hermoso has vehemently denied.

According to a statement, received by the AFP news agency from the Spanish national court, “prosecutors from the national court have opened a preliminary investigation to look into the facts, which could constitute an offence of sexual assault”.

The statement also indicated the court would offer Hermoso a chance to file a lawsuit. The Spanish government has asked for the Spanish Sports Tribunal (TAD) to suspend Rubiales and this request is set to be discussed at a TAD meeting today (Monday 28 August).

When it had been announced that the president had been suspended, Fifa ordered him, the RFEF, its officials and employees not to attempt to contact Hermoso who had been threatened with legal action by the RFEF earlier that day.

Rubiales’ mother, Angeles Bejar, has locked herself in the Divina Pastora church in Motril - the town where Rubiales was raised - and announced she had gone on hunger strike because of the “inhuman hunt” against him.