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Ex-Spain Football Boss In Court Over World Cup Kiss Scandal

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Five days after resigning as Spain’s football chief, Luis Rubiales is due in court Friday on sexual assault charges over forcibly kissing women’s World Cup player Jenni Hermoso.

The 46-year-old has been summoned to Madrid’s Audiencia Nacional court at midday (1000 GMT) where he will appear before Judge Francisco de Jorge who is heading up the investigation.

At the hearing, which will be closed to the public, Rubiales will be questioned as a defendant in regards to allegations of “sexual assault”, a court statement said earlier this week.

Hermoso will also be called to testify at a later date.

The case comes barely four weeks after Rubiales sparked outrage when he forcibly kissed the midfielder in front of the world’s media after Spain defeated England in the final on August 20.

Rubiales, who was head of Spain’s RFEF football federation at the time, has repeatedly insisted the kiss was consensual.

Hermoso has said it was not and that it left her feeling like the “victim of an assault”.

De Jorge on Monday admitted a complaint against Rubiales filed the previous week by the public prosecutors’ office, citing alleged “offences of sexual assault” and “coercion”.

Under a recent reform of the Spanish penal code, a non-consensual kiss can be considered sexual assault, a category which groups all types of sexual violence.

If found guilty, Rubiales could face anything from a fine to four years in prison, sources at the public prosecutors’ office have said.

In their complaint, prosecutors said they had included the offence of coercion because of Hermoso’s statement in which she said “she and those close to her had suffered constant ongoing pressure by Luis Rubiales and his professional entourage to justify and condone” his actions.

The global furore over the incident all but eclipsed the victory celebrations for Spain’s World Cup champions.

‘100% Non Sexual’ 

After three weeks of refusing to resign over the kiss, Rubiales, who was suspended by FIFA on August 26, stood down late on Sunday but continued to insist the kiss was consensual in a TV interview with Britain’s Piers Morgan.

“What we had is a spontaneous act, a mutual act, an act that both consented to, which was driven by the emotion of the moment,” he said, describing the kiss as “100 percent non-sexual”.

The hearing comes with new coach Montse Tome, the first woman to lead the team, set to announce her squad on Friday for UEFA Women’s Nations League matches against Sweden and Switzerland on 22 and 26 September.

Her first job will be to try and convince the 23 world champions to don the red jersey again after they and dozens of others said they would not play for the national team without significant changes at the head of the federation.

The players have not yet said what they will do following Rubiales’ resignation although the situation has changed since the RFEF sacked their controversial coach Jorge Vilda, named Tome in his stead and pledged further internal reforms.

“We have had discussions.. I don’t think there will be any problem,” Rafael del Amo, head of the RFEF’s women’s football committee told Cope radio on Tuesday.

“I think things will move forward.”

AFP

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Nigerian Boxer, Olanrewaju Dies in Boxing Ring

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The former National and West African light-heavyweight champion, Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju, has died after he collapsed during a fight in Ghana on Saturday.

Olanrewaju was competing against Ghanaian boxer Jon Mbanugu at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League at Bukom Boxing Arena when he suddenly lost consciousness.

Reports indicate that he was ahead on points before the unfortunate incident occurred..

A widely circulated video on social media captures the moment he collapsed in the ring, further shocking fans and the boxing community.

Olanrewaju, a highly respected figure in Nigerian boxing, held both National and West African light-heavyweight titles during his career.

His contributions to the sport have been widely recognized, with tributes pouring in from colleagues, fans, and sports officials who remember him for his dedication and impact on boxing in Nigeria and across West Africa.

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JUST IN: Super Eagles revive World Cup hopes with 2-0 victory over Rwanda

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Nigeria boosted their 2026 World Cup qualifying hopes with a 2-0 win over Rwanda on Friday night, marking a successful debut for new head coach, Eric Chelle.

Victor Osimhen, in fine form this season for Galatasaray, delivered a first-half brace to secure the victory.

The prolific striker opened the scoring with a side-footed finish from Ademola Lookman’s well-placed free-kick.

He then doubled Nigeria’s lead after winning the ball at the halfway line and chipping it over the goalkeeper.

The three-time African champions now move up to third place in Group C, following South Africa’s 2-0 win over Lesotho.

Chelle’s men will face Zimbabwe on Monday as they continue their quest for World Cup qualification.

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Nigeria Set To Host ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup Qualifiers in April

Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, Tanzania and Sierra Leone will join Nigeria to jostle for the continent’s sole ticket to the 2026 ICC Under 19 Men’s World Cup.

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The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), said it is ready to host five other nations for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under 19 Men’s World Cup African Qualifier.

The tournament is billed for Lagos, with the matches to be held at the cricket ovals at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) and the University of Lagos (UNILAG) from March 26th – 6th April.

VON reported that the President of the federation, Uyi Akpata, said in a statement that the tournament is about celebrating the growth of the game on the continent. Nigeria is thrilled to welcome these talented young cricketers and their supporters to Lagos,” Akpata said. 

“Our nation is known for its warm hospitality and fascinating cricketing potential and we are committed to making this qualifier a memorable experience for all.”

“This tournament is not just about competition; it’s about celebrating the growth of cricket in Africa and inspiring the next generation of players.”

Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, Tanzania and Sierra Leone will join Nigeria to jostle for the continent’s sole ticket to the 2026 ICC Under 19 Men’s World Cup.

Meanwhile, Nigeria will be hoping to secure the ticket, having achieved same feat in 2019 and competing at the World Cup in South Africa 2020.

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