Luis Rubiales was found guilty of sexually assaulting Jenni Hermoso during the 2023 medal ceremony
Former President of the Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales has been fined €10,800 ($11,300) for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without consent during a medal ceremony in 2023. Rubiales avoided prison time, however.
On Thursday, Spain’s High Court ruled that Rubiales, 47, was guilty of sexual assault for forcibly kissing Hermoso, 34, on the lips following the country’s victory in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
He and his three co-defendants were acquitted of coercion charges related to allegations of pressuring Hermoso to publicly state the kiss was consensual.
In addition to the fine, Rubiales is prohibited from approaching within 200 meters of Hermoso or communicating with her for one year.
However, the former football boss avoided jail time, despite prosecutors insisting on a combined two-and-a-half-year sentence for the coercion and sexual assault charges.
In the ruling, the judge argued that a relatively mild sentence stemmed from the assessment that the assault, although “reprehensible,” was a “sporadic act” with no intimidation or violence.
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Rubiales has insisted that the kiss was consensual, with his lawyers arguing that even if it had not been the case, it should not be considered sexual assault. The ex-football boss, who was forced to resign from the Spanish Football Federation shortly after the incident, signaled that he plans to appeal the verdict.
Hermoso has insisted that the kiss was not consensual, claiming that it was “a moment that tainted one of the happiest days of my life,” and that she did not “live freely” until the verdict was announced.
Video of the medal ceremony shows Rubiales passionately thanking and celebrating his team members, hugging and kissing many of them on the cheek. However, Hermoso, Spain’s all-time leading scorer, was apparently the only one he kissed on the lips.
The controversy around the incident at the time sparked a fiery debate about sexism and misogyny in sports and gave an impetus to the ‘MeToo’ movement in the country.
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