Former Spanish football president Luis Rubiales has launched an NFT collection apparently aimed at advocating for “real equality” just months after being accused of sexual assault at the Women’s World Cup.
Rubiales came under fire after grabbing and kissing Spanish player Jenni Hermoso following the national team’s success in the final of the tournament in Australia. She states that the kiss was consensual, however Hermoso states that this is not the case.
Hermoso reportedly filed an official complaint and Spanish prosecutors later charged Rubiales with sexual assault and coercion after he allegedly pressured her to defend him amid the global backlash.
Now, Rubiales has launched his NFT collection together with Korean company web3 Moon Labs. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Rubiales said: “This message is for those who support real equality and not radicalism or media manipulations.”
According to OpenSea, “This NFT combines Luis Rubiales’ achievements as a professional athlete and his experiences from his childhood, effectively describing his story. It offers fans and collectors a unique and meaningful digital asset that has value.”
In a shared statement, Moon Labs said Rubiales “made a small mistake” during the World Cup, arguing that his actions should not be considered sexual assault.
This message is for those who respond to real justice and not radicalism or media manipulation.
This message is for those who support real equality and not radicalism or media manipulations.
⚖️🏆
NFT LINK 1/17/2024: https://t.co/PoGaDKakrZ pic.twitter.com/KVfINtr6X6
— Luis Rubiales (@LuisRubiales17) January 16, 2024
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At the time of writing four NFTs have been sold, three of which were sold to the same wallet. The highest NFT is currently listed 0.36 ETH ($914).
Another football figure currently embroiled in legal issues surrounding the NFT space is former Real Madrid legend Christiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo is facing a class action lawsuit regarding his “CR7” NFT collection launched in collaboration with Binance.
The plaintiffs in the case claim that Ronaldo promoted Binance and caused a “Increase in searches by 500%.” for the exchange. This, they say, has led people to invest in unregistered securities, including Binance’s BNB.
Ronaldo has also been accused of sexual crimes, most notably raping Kathryn Mayorga in 2009. The case was settled out of court last November.
