Court order Luis Rubiales to make monthly appearances, restricted to leave Spain

Luis Rubiales (46), the former chief of the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) who has faced disgrace, has been ordered by a Spanish judge to appear before a local court in Madrid at least once a month.

Additionally, he will be required to seek permission if he wishes to leave the country. This decision comes after Rubiales testified earlier in the morning as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of unfair administration and business corruption.

The court has mandated that Rubiales must comply with the requirement of appearing before the judicial system once a month, as well as any additional times deemed necessary by the court.

Furthermore, whenever he plans to travel abroad, he must provide the court with the dates of departure and return, along with the address of his intended stay.

Since June 2022, a Madrid court has been conducting an investigation into whether Rubiales committed improper management in relation to the relocation of the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia. This move was made through an agreement between the RFEF and Gerard Pique's Kosmos firm, reportedly valued at 120 million euros ($128.45 million).

Following his testimony on Monday, Rubiales denied any wrongdoing in the Saudi deal. He expressed confidence that justice will prevail and emphasized that no irregularities occurred during his tenure.

Rubiales assured reporters that he had cooperated fully during questioning and was prepared to return if required by the honorable judge, as he is determined to assist in clarifying the situation.

Rubiales spent over two months in the Dominican Republic on a business trip. During his time there, a Spanish judge ordered searches of offices and properties related to an investigation into alleged corruption, mismanagement, and money laundering that occurred while he was president of the RFEF.

Upon returning to Spain in April, Rubiales was informed by the police that he was a suspect and was required to appear before a local court.

On March 20, the police conducted searches at the RFEF's headquarters near Madrid, Rubiales' apartment in Granada, and a soccer stadium in Seville. As a result, seven individuals have been arrested thus far.

In September, Rubiales resigned as the president of the RFEF. The following month, FIFA banned him from all football activities for three years, citing allegations that he kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent after Spain's Women's World Cup victory.

Rubiales maintains that the act was consensual and denies any wrongdoing. However, prosecutors are seeking a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence, charging him with sexual assault and coercion.