Spanish football president Luis Rubiales Photo: AFP
Spain's top criminal court has opened a preliminary investigation into the country's football federation president Luis Rubiales after he kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips.
The prosecutors are looking into whether the incident amounts to a crime of sexual assault.
Rubiales, 46, has been widely criticised after the incident following Spain's Women's World Cup final win.
Hermoso, 33, said the kiss was not consensual.
Rubiales was suspended on Saturday by world football's governing body Fifa.
The previous day, Rubiales had insisted he would not resign.
The court said it was opening the investigation in light of the "unequivocal nature" of Hermoso's statements, saying it was necessary "to determine their legal significance".
"Given the public statements made by Jennifer Hermoso, the sexual act she was subjected to by Luis Rubiales was not consensual," a statement said.
Legal experts will also contact the player "to offer her the option of legal action, giving her the chance to contact National Court prosecutors within 15 days for information about her rights as a victim of an alleged sexual assault should she wish to file a complaint".
It added: "In order to proceed with a case for sexual assault, harassment or sexual abuse, it will be necessary for the injured party or their legal representative to file suit, or the public prosecutors' office."
The Spanish government has asked for Spain's Sports Tribunal to suspend him.
The Spanish football federation has also called regional federations to an "extraordinary and urgent" meeting "to evaluate the situation in which the federation finds itself".
Rubiales' mother Angeles Bejar has locked herself in the Divina Pastora church in Motril on the southern Spanish coast - the town where her son was raised - and has gone on a hunger strike because of the "inhuman hunt" against him.
She told Spanish news agency EFE the strike would continue "indefinite, day and night" - and added the "inhuman and bloody hunt that they are doing with my son is something he does not deserve".
This story first appeared on the BBC
