Ex Spanish football boss Luis Rubiales barred from approaching player he kissed

Fallout from the World Cup final kiss continues, with Luis Rubiales barred from approaching Jenni Hermoso and the team still angry.

Ex Spanish football boss Luis Rubiales barred from approaching player he kissed. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

The former head of Spanish football has been barred from going with 200 metres of the player who he controversially kissed after the country’s World Cup win in Sydney.

A court in Madrid granted the restraining order against Luis Rubiales who now cannot approach Jenni Hermoso.

It comes as the players in the World Cup winning squad have moved to boycott international matches because they claim changes to the hierarchy of Spanish football have not gone far enough.

Mr Rubiales resigned last week as the head of RFEF, the Spanish football association, after weeks of acrimony.

The kiss has hugely overshadowed Spain’s triumph.

Former president of the Spanish football federation Luis Rubiales leaves the Audiencia Nacional court in Madrid on September 15, 2023. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP)

The controversial embrace in Sydney. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

He attended a court in Madrid on Friday.

The judge had been asked to stop Mr Rubiales, 46, from being within 500 metres of the player but settled on 200m.

A criminal complaint of sexual assault and coercion is being considered, which Mr Rubiales denied.

When he resigned, Mr Rubiales said “I have faith in the truth and I will do everything in my power so that it prevails”.

Spanish midfielder Jenni Hermoso in Mexico this week. (Photo by Jaime LOPEZ / AFP)

But Ms Hermoso, 33, has said that not only did she not consent, pressure was also put on her to come to the football boss’ defence.

The judge will now decide whether the case goes to trial.

Ms Hermoso’s lawyer Carla Vall said that due to the imagery from the final and Spain’s laws of consent “we can show that Mr Rubiales had a complete lack of consent.”

(The Spanish women’s football team have said\ they will not play international matches. Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

On Friday, Madrid time, new manager Montse Torme is due to announce the squad for fixtures against Sweden and Spain.

However, the members of the Spanish women’s football team is expected to confirm they will not return to international competition.

In the wake of the Sydney incident, a letter signed by 81 team members – including all the players on the World Cup winning team –– declared they would not play again until major

changes were made to the hierarchy of Spanish football.

🚨 BREAKING Spanish players will NOT return to the national team

“The changes made are not enough for the players to feel safe, where women are respected, where there is support for women’s football and where we can maximise our potential.” https://t.co/TDn1O1Hsyy

— Alex Ibaceta (@alexibaceta23) September 15, 2023

As well as Mr Rubiales’ sacking, manager Jorge Vilda has also left.

But the players are expected to say it’s not enough.

It’s been reported the players do not trust the RFEF and that the changes made so far are superficial, were made to protect senior management and were not a genuine transformation of the federation.