Former Spanish Football Association (FA) boss Luis Rubiales, who gained notoriety following Spain’s ‘Kissgate’ scandal, was arrested by authorities in Madrid on Wednesday, as reported by local media outlets.
According to reports, detectives were present at Madrid’s Barajas Airport as Rubiales disembarked from an Air Europa flight arriving from the Dominican Republic, around 10:30 am local time.
Rubiales is anticipated to be escorted to a police station where he will undergo formal questioning and receive a court summons as part of an ongoing corruption investigation. The probe is centered on business dealings believed to involve arrangements, including one to host the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, during his tenure as head of the Spanish FA.
A judicial hearing is scheduled to take place in the coming days, during which Rubiales will be interrogated in a closed court session. Following this, he is expected to be released on bail while the investigation continues.
It is important to note that this corruption inquiry is distinct from the separate ‘Kissgate’ investigation that Rubiales was previously embroiled in. Last month, public prosecutors involved in the ‘Kissgate’ case revealed their pursuit of a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales concerning an ‘unwanted’ kiss he allegedly gave footballer Jenni Hermoso following Spain’s Women’s World Cup final victory over England in August.
