Former Spanish federation boss Luis Rubiales found guilty of kissing player Jenni Hermoso without consent
A Spanish court has ruled that former football chief Luis Rubiales is guilty of sexual assault for kissing Spain women’s international footballer Jenni Hermoso without her consent following the conclusion of the 2023 Women’s World Cup Final.
Rubiales, who was cleared of coercion charges, received a fine of 10,000 euros ($10,455) on Thursday from the Audiencia Nacional court. He has been instructed not to approach Hermoso within a 200-meter (660-foot) distance and is prohibited from contacting her for one year.
The incident overshadowed Spain’s triumph in the 2023 Women’s World Cup and sparked discussions regarding the sexism experienced by female athletes. The 47-year-old Rubiales resigned in September 2023 amidst widespread condemnation.
While Hermoso has expressed that the kiss was non-consensual and informed the court that she felt “disrespected” by the incident, Rubiales has insisted that it was consensual. He asserted during the court proceedings on Tuesday that he remained “absolutely sure” that the kiss was mutually agreed upon.
Luis Rubiales found guilty
Prosecutors had pursued incarceration for Rubiales, comprising one year for assault and 18 months for coercion, claiming that Rubiales and several influential Spanish football officials had tried to pressure Hermoso into asserting that the kiss was consensual and to minimize the event.
The court chose not to impose prison time on Rubiales and acquitted him along with the three co-defendants of coercion.
Judge Jose Manuel Fernandez-Prieto stated that he trusted Hermoso’s assertion that she did not consent to the kiss. He determined that the sexual assault, “while always reproachable” was of lesser severity as there was no evidence of violence or intimidation.
The 34-year-old Hermoso, the all-time leading scorer for the Spanish women’s team, recounted to the court earlier this month that the unwanted kiss and the ensuing disturbance had “stained one of the happiest days of my life”, while her teammates testified that the occurrence left her exhausted, in tears, and overwhelmed.
“As a woman, I felt disrespected,” Hermoso stated during the trial.
The kiss itself and Rubiales’ reaction to the criticism directed at him ignited significant international outrage, leading to the eventual dismissal of Rubiales and Spain’s head coach Jorge Vilda from the federation, as well as the ongoing commitment to an immediate overhaul of the entire Spanish football system.
“The Judge understands that, given the magnitude of the assault, a kiss, that it is a sporadic act of the accused, and that he does not require special rehabilitation for the crime, the pecuniary penalty must be chosen, which is less serious than the custodial sentence,” the verdict said.
Hermoso now plays for Liga MX Femenil club Tigres UANL in Mexico. She won the Silver Ball at the 2023 World Cup. She is most notably known for her stint with the all-conquering Barcelona Femini team. She was the record goalscorer for the club before Alexia Putellas overtook her in 2023.
