Former Spain women’s coach Jorge Vilda under investigation as part of Luis Rubiales court case
Spain and Sweden players join together for a protest before their match earlier this month.
By Pau Mosquera and Matt Foster, CNN
(CNN) — Former Spain women’s soccer coach Jorge Vilda, Spanish national team director Albert Luque, and Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) marketing director Rubén Rivera have been summoned to testify as suspects as part of the case against RFEF’s former president Luis Rubiales, Spain’s National Court announced on Wednesday.
Rubiales is under investigation for “the crimes of sexual assault and coercion,” with the case being brought by Spanish prosecutors following his unwanted kiss on La Roja star Jennifer Hermoso after Spain’s triumph in the Women’s World Cup final in August.
Luque and Rivera were previously only named as witnesses in the case.
“The judge of the National Court Francisco de Jorge has summoned former women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda and men’s national team director, Albert Luque, and RFEF marketing director, Rubén Rivera, to testify as suspects in the case … on October 10,” the court said in a statement.
“The judge has decided to change Luque and Rivera status from witnesses to suspects.”
CNN has reached out to RFEF and Vilda for comment on the news but did not immediately receive a response.
Patricia Pérez, press manager of the women’s team and Miguel Garcia Caba, RFEF’s former director of integrity are set to testify on Thursday, according to the court.
Caba was fired from his position on Friday, but RFEF did not provide a reason for his termination.
On September 15, Rubiales appeared in court to testify after being summoned by de Jorge to aid in the court’s investigation into potential charges of sexual assault and coercion against him.
The Spanish Prosecutor’s office said Rubiales answered questions from the judge and all parties and denied the charges.
Later that day, the judge gave Rubiales a restraining order to not go within 200 meters of Hermoso, nor communicate with her during the court’s investigation.
The naming of Vilda and the others as suspects comes as the Spain’s women’s national team looks to move on from the incident which marred its World Cup celebrations.
The squad has won both of its Women’s Nations League matches since the tournament, beating Sweden and Switzerland in the past week.
However, despite being called up to the national team, many players had refused to participate until sweeping, structural changes were made by RFEF.
Following crisis talks involving the federation and the Spanish government, 21 of the 23 players selected agreed to play the fixtures after RFEF committed to make immediate changes to its structure.
The-CNN-Wire
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