Luis Rubiales summoned to appear in Spanish court over kiss scandal at World Cup

Jennifer Hermoso (Pic: AFP)

Luis Rubiales, the former president of Spain's soccer federation, has been summoned for a testimony to a Spanish judge investigating his kiss of a player at the Women's World Cup.

Judge Francisco de Jorge ordered Rubiales to answer his questions on Friday at Spain's National Court in Madrid, according to court documents seen by The Associated Press on Tuesday.

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Rubiales kissed Spain forward Jenni Hermoso during the awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia. He said she had consented to the kiss, but Hermoso has denied that.

Spanish state prosecutors formally accused Rubiales last week of alleged sexual assault and an act of coercion when, according to Hermoso, he pressured her to speak out in his defense immediately after the scandal erupted. Rubiales announced on Sunday that he was resigning from his post, from which he had already been provisionally suspended by FIFA.

De Jorge is carrying out the preliminary investigation into the accusations against Rubiales, and will then decide whether the case should go to trial.

According to a sexual consent law passed in Spain last year, Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty of sexual assault. The new law eliminated the difference between sexual harassment and sexual assault, sanctioning any non-consentual sexual act.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, the already suspended Rubiales sent his resignation to the federation's interim president, he said in an open letter. "I'm going to [resign], yes, because I cannot continue my work," the 46-year-old told television show "Piers Morgan Uncensored".

(With agency inputs)