Former Spanish football boss Luis Rubiales, who kissed player without consent at the 2023 Women's World Cup, was pelted with eggs at his book launch in Madrid
The ex-RFEF boss was convicted of sexual assault for a forced kiss on player Jenni Hermoso, after Spain won the Women’s World Cup in 2023.
At the event to present his book Matar a Rubiales (Killing Rubiales), footage shows a man – who Rubiales now claims to be his uncle – throwing three eggs towards the stage, striking the 48-year-old.
Footage shows Rubiales try to chase after his uncle before being held back by other people at the event.
“I’ve found out he was my own uncle. Luis Ruben he’s called. An uncle who is my age,” Rubiales said.
“He threw eggs at me because he’s a deranged person, and I don’t think there’s any justification for it."
He said that culprit had been taken away, and said he will "have to take action against him" as Rubiales said he "honestly thought he was armed".
National police stated that a Spanish man had been arrested but declined to comment further.
Speaking on Spanish television about his sexual assault conviction whilst FA boss, Rubiales claims he was the victim of a “sudden far-left movement” that created alternate reality to capitalise on the situation.
Rubiales was fined €10,800 (£9,550) for forcibly kissing Ms Hermoso during the medal ceremony, after Spain’s beat England 1-0 in Sydney. He is also banned from going within 200m of Ms Hermoso or contacting her for one year.
He insists the interaction was consensual, but the incident sparked global uproar, leading Rubiales to step down from his post. Video footage of the incident shows Rubiales grab her head and kiss her on the lips during the medial ceremony.
Ms Hermoso maintains she had not given permission for the kiss and that he had "stained one of the happiest days" of her life.
He was consequently banned from all football-related activity for three years.
Spain’s penal code dictates a non-consensual kiss can be considered sexual assault, a legal category encompassing all types of sexual violence.
In June, Rubiales' lawyer said he would appeal against the conviction at the supreme court, following the Spanish appeals court upholding his fine.
