The former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Luis Rubiales was briefly detained upon his return this Wednesday in Spain by the Civil Guard, that investigates alleged irregular contracts during his mandatereported sources close to the investigation.
Rubiales, who arrived on a plane from the Dominican Republic, was approached on the same plane by Civil Guard agents, who took him away in a van without him having to leave through the door, where dozens of journalists were waiting for him.
The former president of the RFEF has been informed of his judicial situation by the agents, according to the same sources, after which he is free.
The police intervention occurred within the framework of an investigation into alleged corruption, which had led to the search of the RFEF headquarters on March 20 and the arrest of seven people, who are now free after testifying.
That day, The police also searched Rubiales’ home in Granadain the southern region of Andalusia, although the former federative president was already in the Dominican Republic.
The judge in charge of the case will have to decide a date for Rubiales to appear before her.
This investigation points to “alleged criminal acts associated with corruption in business, unfair administration and money laundering”according to justice.
According to the Spanish press, the contracts under suspicion would be those related to the transfer of the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia or the remodeling work of the La Cartuja stadium in Seville, among others.
In a preview of an interview that will be broadcast this Wednesday night on La Sexta television, Rubiales denied having received any type of commission.
“My money is the product of my work and my savings,” Rubiales assures La Sexta.
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Rubiales was at the head of the RFEF from 2018 until his resignation last year after the case of the forced kiss on the player Jenni Hermoso in the World Cup final in Australia.
Last week, the prosecution requested 2.5 years in prison for Rubiales for the case of this kiss for which he will be tried on a date yet to be defined.
The Public Ministry accuses Rubiales of a crime of sexual assault, for the kiss itself, and another of coercion, for having pressured the athlete to “justify and approve the kiss that she had received against her will,” according to the Ministry. Prosecutor in his writing, to which AFP had access.