MADRID — Luis Rubiales, the previous president of the Spanish soccer federation, denied any wrongdoing when questioned by a choose investigating his kissing a participant on the lips final month on the Women’s World Cup, Spain‘s state prosecutors’ workplace mentioned Friday.

Judge Francisco de Jorge earlier this week ordered Rubiales to reply questions at Spain’s National Court.

Rubiales kissed Spain ahead Jenni Hermoso on the lips through the awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia. He mentioned she had consented to the kiss, however Hermoso has denied that repeatedly.

Spanish state prosecutors formally accused Rubiales final week of sexual assault and an act of coercion. According to Hermoso, Rubiales pressured her to talk out in his protection instantly after the scandal erupted.

The state prosecutors’ workplace mentioned Rubiales denied each accusations when answering questions by the choose in an hour-long listening to that was closed to the general public.

Neither Rubiales or his protection lawyer, Olga Tubau, spoke to the media exterior the National Court.

Hermoso’s lawyer, Carla Vall i Duran, mentioned they have been happy with the listening to.

“We can continue to affirm that the kiss was not consented to, which is what we have said from the very beginning,” Vall i Duran mentioned. “Thanks to the (images of the kiss), the entire world, the entire country, has been able to observe there was no type of consent. And we are going to prove that in the courtroom.”

State prosecutors requested the choose to contemplate issuing a restraining order to ban Rubiales from coming inside 500 meters (yards) or Hermoso or attempting to speak along with her, in addition to a requirement for him to verify in with a court docket each 15 days to make sure he doesn't flee the nation. The choose should determine whether or not to use these measures.

The 46-year-old Rubiales lastly folded Sunday beneath immense stress from authorities and soccer authorities and introduced that he was resigning from his publish as president of the soccer federation. He had already been provisionally suspended by soccer governing physique FIFA.

De Jorge is finishing up the preliminary investigation into the accusations in opposition to Rubiales, and can then determine whether or not the case ought to go to trial.

According to a sexual consent regulation handed in Spain final 12 months, Rubiales might face a fantastic or a jail sentence of 1 to 4 years if discovered responsible of sexual assault. The new regulation eradicated the distinction between “sexual harassment” and “sexual assault,” sanctioning any non-consensual sexual act.

Hermoso had already given testimony to state prosecutors when she accused Rubiales of sexual assault final week, earlier than she left Spain to hitch her Mexican membership, Pachuca.

In the times following the World Cup ultimate, Rubiales mentioned that the kiss was “mutual” and like one “I could give one of my daughters.”

Hermoso responded by saying that was a lie.

“I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-driven, sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part,” Hermoso mentioned in an announcement posted on social media. “Simply put, I was not respected.”

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Wilson reported from Barcelona, Spain.

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Associated Press reporter Irene Yagüe contributed to this report.

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