Former Spanish football federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales has been found guilty of sexual assault after kissing forward Jenni Hermoso without her consent during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, Afrosport reports.
Spain’s high court on Wednesday announced the ruling, imposing an 18-month fine on Rubiales, who avoided jail sentence and was ordered to pay a fine of €10,800.
The 47-year-old was acquitted of coercion, for allegedly trying to put pressure on Hermoso to say the kiss was consensual. The court’s ruling also prohibits Rubiales from going within 200 metres of Hermoso or establishing communication with her for one year.
The incident, which marred Spain’s World Cup triumph in 2023, happened during the medal ceremony at the Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia. As the Spanish players were been handed their medals after beating England 1-0 in the final, Rubiales grabbed Hermoso’s head and kissed her on the lips.
Jorge Vilda, Spain’s former head coach, who led the team to the World Cup triumph, Ruben Rivera, the Spanish Football Federation’s (RFEF) former head of marketing, and Albert Luque, former sporting director, were all acquitted of coercion charges
Prosecutors had requested for a prison sentence of two-and-a-half years for Rubiales – one year for the kiss and 18 months for coercion – the court said in a statement confirming the verdict reached by Judge Jose Manuel Clemente Fernandez-Prieto.
The ruling of this court can be appealed against before the Criminal Division of the National Court.
Rubiales, in October 2023, was banned for three years from all football activities due to his conduct at the World Cup final. The ruling was also upheld on appeal in January 2024.
He resigned in September 2023 following weeks of pressure from the Spanish players and the outside world to stand down.
