Former Spanish Football Chief Luis Rubiales Convicted of Sexual Assault for Non-Consensual Kiss

Former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales has been convicted of sexually assaulting player Jenni Hermoso by kissing her after the 2023 Women’s World Cup final. The court sentenced Rubiales to a fine exceeding €10,000 ($10,400) and imposed a restraining order, prohibiting him from approaching Hermoso within 200 meters or contacting her for one year.

Rubiales was acquitted of coercion charges related to his attempts to downplay the kiss during the awards ceremony in Sydney. The incident, which occurred after Spain’s first Women’s World Cup title, ignited widespread outrage across Spain and beyond.

During the two-week trial, Rubiales asserted that Hermoso had consented to the kiss. However, Hermoso denied this claim, stating that she felt disrespected by the act. She also testified that she was pressured into recording a video with Rubiales to downplay the incident.

Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of two and a half years for Rubiales—one year for sexual assault and an additional year and a half for coercion. They also recommended similar sentences for three other former Spanish federation officials accused of coercion: former women’s team coach Jorge Vilda, men’s team sports director Albert Luque, and head of marketing Ruben Rivera. All four defendants were acquitted of the coercion charges.

Rubiales resigned as president of the Spanish football federation three weeks after the scandal emerged and was subsequently banned by FIFA for three years. He had previously described himself as a victim of a “witch hunt” by “false feminists.”

In his testimony, Rubiales expressed regret over the kiss, acknowledging that it was inappropriate for a national federation president. He maintained, however, that it should not be considered sexual assault.

The incident has been described as one of the most embarrassing scandals in the history of Spanish football, prompting widespread discussions about respect and consent within the sport.