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<\/p>\nFORMER Spanish FA chief Luis Rubiales has been called to testify in court following a criminal probe for suspected sexual assault and coercion.<\/p>\n
It comes after the disgraced football president, 46, sparked outrage when his country won the Women\u2019s World Cup earlier this month\u00a0and he kissed Jenni Hermoso without her consent.<\/p>\n
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He is set to be questioned today at the Audiencia Nacional court in Madrid by judge Francisco de Jorge who is conducting the criminal probe.<\/p>\n
It emerged yesterday he had opened his investigation into the 46-year-old after a formal complaint was lodged by prosecutors.<\/p>\n
A spokesman for the court said the judge would be requesting footage of the kiss and other relevant videos as part of his probe.<\/p>\n
It comes after Hermoso, 33, paved the way for Rubiales\u2019 prosecution by admitting she "felt vulnerable and the victim of aggression", after the kiss.<\/p>\n
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The judge agreed to launch his investigation less than 24 hours after Rubiales sensationally quit as FA chief and UEFA vice-president following the scandal.<\/p>\n
Rubiales previously doubled down on the scandal, promising to \u201cdefend his innocence\u201d after announcing his resignation on Sunday night.<\/p>\n
After news of his resignation broke, the disgraced football star tweeted: "I will defend my honour. I will defend my innocence.<\/p>\n
"I have faith in the future. I have faith in the truth.<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n "Thanks everyone."<\/p>\n A statement from\u00a0Spain's highest\u00a0court\u00a0previously said: "Prosecutors from the National Court have opened a preliminary investigation to look into the facts, which could constitute an offence of sexual assault."<\/p>\n Prosecutors also reportedly received complaints of "obscene exhibitionism before a minor" when\u00a0Rubiales appeared to grab his crotch\u00a0in the stands next to Spain's Princess Infanta Sof\u00eda.<\/p>\n He\u00a0apologised to the Spanish royal family previously\u00a0for the display, saying: "I apologise to the Queen and the Infanta for a very unedifying gesture. I do not justify myself: sorry."<\/p>\n But in the same breath, the deluded footballer claimed the kiss was "affectionate" and Hermoso had "consented".<\/p>\n Hermoso\u00a0herself hit back the following day, denying the former FA chief's claim that the kiss was consensual.<\/p>\n In a revealing sit-down with\u00a0Piers Morgan on TalkTV tonight, deluded\u00a0Rubiales\u00a0will sensationally compare\u00a0his kiss\u00a0with\u00a0Hermoso\u00a0to one he might give his daughters.<\/p>\n He is set to double down on his position in the astonishing interview as he tells Piers: "My intentions were noble, enthusiastic, 100% non-sexual, 100%, I repeat, 100%."<\/p>\n "There was no harm, no sexual content, no aggression, nothing like that.<\/p>\n "The significance of the kiss to Jenni would have been exactly the same as a kiss to one of my daughters.<\/p>\n "Between friends and family, that\u2019s very, very common."<\/p>\n The FA president will say that he understands he "should have acted in a more solemn, cold and diplomatic way".<\/p>\n Striker Hermoso lodged the sexual assault complaint in person at the State Attorney General's Office – setting the wheels in motion for the public ministry to present an official complaint against Rubiales.<\/p>\n She described the kiss as \u201can impulsive, sexist act, out of place and without any type of consent on my part.\u201d<\/p>\n The football star has been lying low since the scandal, which caused a shockwave across the international football world, as\u00a0numerous figures called for Rubiales' resignation\u00a0and Spanish prosecutors\u00a0opened their criminal investigation.<\/p>\n Rubiales will be questioned in private on Friday, as is normal in Spain where only trials take place in public.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/bonucci.jpg\")
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