- Luis Rubiales was detained at Madrid’s airport for corruption investigation upon his return from the Dominican Republic.
- The investigation focuses on business deals conducted during his tenure, including the move of the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.
- Rubiales’ decision to relocate the Super Cup was criticized for its financial incentives and implications for women’s rights and minority treatment in Saudi Arabia.
- The controversy leading to his resignation involved an unwanted kiss on a player at the Women’s World Cup final, sparking multiple investigations and potential criminal charges.
Luis Rubiales Detained Over Corruption Allegations and World Cup Kiss-Gate, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), was detained upon his return to Spain amidst an ongoing corruption investigation. This arrest occurred at Madrid’s airport as Rubiales was exiting a plane that had brought him back from the Dominican Republic. He was questioned by police and later released, with an investigative judge expected to summon him for further questioning in the coming days. The corruption probe is linked to a business deal to hold the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
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Rubiales’ arrest comes in the wake of a scandal known as “Kissgate,” where he was accused of kissing footballer Jenni Hermoso without her consent following Spain’s World Cup success. Public prosecutors involved in the case were seeking a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales, including a year for sexual assault and an additional 18 months for coercion. This case is separate from the corruption probe, which focuses on alleged financial irregularities during his tenure as the head of the Spanish FA.
The corruption investigation is linked to alleged financial irregularities during Rubiales’ time as head of the Spanish FA, focusing on business deals, including one to hold the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. Rubiales has not been formally charged with any crime as part of Operation Brody, the ongoing probe linked to alleged irregularities while he was still Spanish FA president. However, a judge is investigating him on suspicion of crimes including corruption, money laundering, and membership of a criminal organization.
During the arrest, officers from the Civil Guard’s Central Operative Unit confiscated Rubiales’ phone and laptop. Investigators have concluded that Rubiales diverted at least £3.24 million (€3.8 million) from the Spanish FA to a construction firm that paid him kickbacks through a company controlled by a close friend. Rubiales has denied any wrongdoing in both the ongoing corruption probe and the “Kissgate” case.
In a TV interview set to air on Spanish broadcaster La Sexta, Rubiales is expected to deny allegations of embezzlement from the Spanish FA and insist that his money is the product of his work and savings. He is also expected to accuse the judge who charged him with coercion and sexual assault over his “unwanted” kiss of manipulation.
Rubiales’ mother, Angeles Bejar, went on a hunger strike at a church in her son’s hometown of Motril near Granada for two days, calling for the truth about the kiss to be revealed. She expressed her belief in her son’s honesty and suggested that if the truth were told, everything would be fixed.
This case highlights the complex interplay between personal scandals and professional misconduct in high-profile sports organizations, showcasing the challenges faced by individuals in maintaining their reputations amidst legal and ethical scrutiny.
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