ルビアレス氏のキス強要問題、スペイン判事が裁判提案

【マドリードＡＦＰ＝時事】サッカー女子Ｗ杯オーストラリア・ニュージーランド大会で優勝したスペイン代表のヘニフェル・エルモソにキスを強要した問題で、スペイン・マドリードの全国管区裁判所の裁判官は２５日、同国サッカー連盟（ＲＦＥＦ）のルイス・ルビアレス前会長を裁判にかけることを提案した。（写真はスペインサッカー連盟のルイス・ルビアレス前会長。連盟ウェブサイトの配信より取得）
　フランシスコ・デ・ホルヘ判事は予備捜査を終えての裁定で、ルビアレス氏のキスは「同意によるものではなく、一方的で予期せぬ行動」だったと結論づけた。同氏は現在、性的暴行と強要の罪で訴追されている。
　また、スペイン女子代表の前監督ホルヘ・ビルダ氏、同男子代表のチームディレクターであるアルベルト・ルケ氏、ＲＦＥＦのマーケティング部門責任者ルーベン・リベラ氏の３人についても捜査した結果、エルモソに「同意の上でのキスだったと公言する」よう圧力を掛けていたことが判明したとして、裁判を提案した。
　昨年８月２０日のＷ杯決勝でスペインがイングランドを下した後に生中継された表彰式で、ルビアレス氏はエルモソの頭を両手で抱えて唇に無理やりキスをした。この行為については「合意があった」と主張しているが、エルモソはそうでなかったと反論している。
　デ・ホルヘ判事は、裁判の前に「キスの目的が性的なものだったか否か、あるいはＷ杯優勝という特別な出来事による興奮であったのかは、法的な結論を検討すべき要素である」と指摘。その一方で、唇へのキスは「特に２人の成人が関係している場合、性的関係にあるなどの親密な領域に影響するもの」だと述べた。
　さらに、ビルダ氏とルケ氏、そしてリベラ氏の３人についても、ルビアレス氏と共謀して「ヘニフェル・エルモソを説得し、キスは同意があったと話す動画の作成に同意させようとした」証拠が見つかったと公表。こうした行為は、それ自体は軽犯罪のように見えるにせよ、「ルビアレス氏による主な犯罪に関連した犯罪を構成する可能性がある」と述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/01/26-16:28）

A Spanish judge on Thursday proposed that disgraced former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales be tried over the kiss he forced on Women's World Cup star Jenni Hermoso.
In a ruling following his preliminary investigation, judge Francisco de Jorge of Spain's Audiencia Nacional top criminal court concluded that the kiss was not consensual and was a unilateral and unexpected move by Rubiales, who is facing charges of sexual assault and coercion.
He also proposed putting three others on trial for subsequently exerting pressure on Hermoso, 33, to make a public statement confirming the kiss was consensual: former women's coach Jorge Vilda, men's team director Albert Luque and RFEF marketing boss Ruben Rivera.
All three have also been investigated by the judge.
During the incident on August 20, which took place live in front of the cameras after Spain beat England to win the Women's World Cup final in Australia, Rubiales held Hermoso's head in both hands and forcibly kissed her on the lips.
He has described the act as a consensual peck but Hermoso has insisted it was not.
In his ruling, De Jorge said questions about whether the aim was erotic or not and about the excitement stemming from the extraordinary sporting triumph are elements whose legal consequences will have to be examined before the court.
But he also said that a kiss on the lips affects the sphere of intimacy reserved for sexual relations, in particular when it involved two adults.
- 'A concerted effort' -
He also said he had found evidence of a concerted effort by Vilda, Luque and Rivera, in agreement with Rubiales, to persuade Jennifer Hermoso and get her to agree to make a video saying the kiss was consensual.
Such actions could constitute a criminal offence linked to the main offence attributed to Rubiales, regardless of the fact that on its own, it could appear to be a minor offence.
The kiss provoked widespread outrage and prompted his suspension by world football governing body FIFA.
Under Spanish law, a non-consensual kiss can be considered sexual assault -- a criminal category that groups all types of sexual violence.
Penalties for such a kiss range from a fine to four years in prison.
Hermoso filed a lawsuit against Rubiales, 46, in September and testified before the judge earlier this month saying she had come under pressure to defend him both on the flight back from Australia and on a subsequent team holiday to Ibiza in the Balearic Islands.
In her testimony, she said she had faced constant harassment by the parties under investigation, which disrupted her normal life, causing her anxiety and distress.
Numerous other witnesses have testified before the judge about the pressure faced by Hermoso, among them two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas and two other Spanish teammates.