On Friday, Rubiales appeared for the first hearing before the Spanish State Court. He vehemently denied the allegations of sexual assault. The examining judge nevertheless imposed a temporary injunction: Rubiales was no longer allowed to approach Hermoso within 500 meters. The judge also imposed a ban on contact. The Spanish official testified at the beginning of the hearing and Hermoso is also expected to speak at a later date. Spanish authorities formally accused Rubiales of sexual assault last week.

After winning the World Cup, Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the mouth without being asked, sparking a heated debate.

Kissing scandal: Spain’s footballers want to strike

Before the hearing on Friday it became known that the 23 Spanish footballers who won the World Cup in August and other top players did not want to compete for Spain until there were no further personnel changes in the RFEF association in the kissing scandal.

This initially affects Spain’s games in the Nations League next Thursday against Sweden and on September 26th against Switzerland, the state TV broadcaster RTVE and other Spanish media reported unanimously on Friday. The 41 athletes informed the association of their decision by telephone just hours before the new coach Montse Tomé was introduced.

The players are of the opinion that the resignation of Luis Rubiales and the separation from coach Jorge Vilda are insufficient. Among other things, they called for the dismissal of the association’s general secretary, Andreu Camps, as well as the employees of the press department who, shortly after the award ceremony in Sydney, distributed a statement from the association in which words were put into Hermoso’s mouth that she had not said the newspaper “Mundo Deportivo” wrote.