Spanish police arrested the former president of the Spanish soccer federation Luis Rubiales upon his return to the country on suspicion of corruption, the Spanish Civil Guard announced on Wednesday, before releasing him a little later.
The Civil Guard said Rubiales was questioned by police at Madrid airport, after being arrested when he got off the plane bringing him back from the Dominican Republic.
He was released a few hours later. A judge is expected to order him to answer investigators’ questions again within a few days.
Luis Rubiales returned to Spain following the launch of a criminal investigation into a commercial agreement which allowed Saudi Arabia to obtain the presentation of the Spanish Super Cup.
Two weeks ago, he was in the Dominican Republic when Spanish authorities carried out searches of his residence in Granada and the offices of the Spanish soccer federation in Madrid. Seven people were placed under arrest, and Rubiales was one of five additional people to be investigated.
The investigation into corruption and money laundering concerns contracts concerning the Spanish Super Cup and business links between the federation and the La Cartuja stadium in Seville, which hosts, among others, the Copa del Rey final as well as some international matches.
Sexual assault allegations
Luis Rubiales resigned from his post in September after causing an international outcry by kissing Spanish player Jenni Hermoso without her consent after the Women’s World Cup final. He could face trial to address sexual assault allegations against Hermoso. He always denied having committed any wrongdoing.
Rubiales cut his trip short by three days. He had initially told the courts that he planned to return to Spain next Saturday.
During his time as head of the Spanish soccer federation, Rubiales spearheaded the revamp of the Spanish Super Cup in 2020, creating a mini-tournament involving four teams, which was moved to Saudi Arabia. As part of this agreement, the federation would pocket approximately 40 million euros (59 million Canadian dollars) per tournament.
State prosecutors launched an investigation to shed light on this cartel in 2022, following the broadcast of an audio clip between Rubiales and player Gerard Pique — whose company, Kosmos, was involved in the agreement with the federation and Saudi Arabia — suggesting they got millions of dollars in commissions.
A Kosmos executive told The Associated Press that no company employees were detained or questioned, and its premises were not searched by authorities.
In a preview of an interview with Spanish channel La Sexta, Luis Rubiales denied a series of “false allegations” made by the Spanish media about him.
“I don’t know what the judge said or the nature of the Civil Guard’s investigation,” he commented. The money in my bank account is the result of my hard work and savings. »