Jenni Hermoso asks for “protection” in the National Court after the leak of her statement | Soccer | Sports

Jenni Hermoso has hit the table twice. Just a few hours apart, the Spanish soccer player has decided to speak in public for the first time since the kiss that Luis Rubiales gave her; and her representation agency, TJM, has issued a statement to request “protection” for her in the case opened in the National Court for alleged sexual assault and coercion. The athlete’s defense has taken this initiative after the player’s statement was leaked to the State Attorney General’s Office, released on Monday by Mediaset. After that, according to sources close to her, Hermoso has even considered not testifying before the judge if she does not offer him a “safe environment.”

“All criminal proceedings must be carried out with guarantees to preserve the victims’ right to privacy,” begins the statement released this Wednesday by the player’s representation agency, TJM. “Until a few days ago, we thought that this process offered Jenni a safe environment, but the continuous leaks and the lack of said guarantees prevent our player from being able to carry out the process normally,” laments the note, which denounces that “they have exceeded limits, his basic rights have been violated and he has been exposed to public opinion again without any type of consent.”

On Monday, the program Code 10 (Telecinco) broadcast the recording of the statement that Hermoso offered on September 5 before the lieutenant prosecutor of the National Court, Marta Durántez. That appointment took place with great secrecy, since it was decided that it would be held at the State Attorney General’s Office, and not at the headquarters of the National Court – to prevent the soccer player from being seen by any of the many journalists who come to this place daily. last building. The public prosecution then copied the testimony into a pendrive and he sent it to the judge along with his complaint. A device that was immediately incorporated into the case opened a few days later by Judge Francisco de Jorge, to which the parties (defense of the accused and popular accusations) have had access as they have appeared in the process.

Due to the fear of losing control of such a high-profile case, investigating judge De Jorge was very suspicious from the beginning. He has limited the information provided to the media through the Court’s communications office. Furthermore, last week, after a first leak of a part of Rubiales’ statement before the judge, the magistrate expressed his discomfort: he then ordered an investigation into what happened and restricted access to the audios of the interrogations – they are no longer provided to the lawyers, who will only be given transcripts, although they can consult the recording in court under supervision.

However, tension soared this Tuesday. After the leak of Hermoso’s statement, the judge reproached the parties for what happened before the interrogation of former coach Jorge Vilda. According to legal sources, the magistrate insisted that crimes were being committed. The player’s representatives were also very upset by what happened. “These events not only put Hermoso’s health at risk, they also put at risk the reliability and independence of the judicial process in which we have trusted so much at all times,” states the statement issued this Wednesday by TJM.

The note from the soccer player’s representation agency emphasizes: “Aiming to redirect the process, Jenni, her legal team and our agency have decided to take different actions to protect and guarantee her privacy. Among them, we have urged the competent bodies to take measures against those responsible for the leaks and to seek solutions to guarantee the security and custody of the information in the case during the criminal process.”

First public statements

Almost two months have passed since the Spanish team won the World Cup in Sydney. Almost two months have passed since, at the awards ceremony, Luis Rubiales, former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), kissed Jenni Hermoso. A tsunami that ended with the manager himself (charged with a crime of sexual assault and another of coercion) and with the foundations of the RFEF itself, from which Jorge Vilda, the coach, emerged; Andreu Camps, general secretary; Miguel García Caba, director of integrity; and Pablo García-Cuervo, communications director.

Until now, Hermoso had been heard through a statement, in which he said that he had felt vulnerable and the victim of an attack. He had not yet spoken publicly since what happened in Australia. But she has finally broken her silence in Mexico, at the Soccer Hall of Fame ceremony, where she was honored on Tuesday night.

The long speech ended with a declaration of intent, with that #seabab that became viral and famous since Alexia Putellas used it to defend her teammate. “It’s over! “I am Jenni Hermoso, I am a soccer player and I am that girl who managed to become a World Champion,” said the forward last night. It was the only direct reference to Rubiales case.

“On the night of August 20, when I lifted the Cup with my teammates, I could feel my father’s hands when he took me to train, my mother’s smile watching me play, and the joy of my entire family sharing the dream of a little soccer player who wanted to be world champion. I have played soccer all my life; I am 33 years old, but a few weeks ago, on the field of Australia Stadium in Sydney, I became a child once again,” Hermoso began his speech.

“Although a short time has passed, I still wonder what we did that night. We won a title, we went around the world and We became one of the best teams in history. But, deep down, we achieved something much more human, more transcendental. We were not champions to lift a trophy that stays in the showcases, receive a compensation bonus or appear on thousands of covers that wrinkle over time: we were world champions because it was the only way we had left to be heard, respected and valued,” he continued.

“My national team changed the way many people see women’s football. I am sure that millions of girls around the world have felt identified and protected by this group of brave, committed and honest players, who in every step they have taken have always thought about their future. Many things have happened since then, perhaps we sacrificed some joys, some celebrations, and, without deserving it, we suffered more than necessary in a historic moment for us. We have an enormous responsibility with the new generations. To all those people who do not have a loudspeaker to make themselves heard, I want to tell them that this fight belongs to everyone. We win on the field and off it to ensure a sport and an inclusive society that protects us all,” stressed the Mexican Pachuca player.

You can follow EL PAÍS Deportes in Facebook y Xclick here to receive our weekly newsletter.