Spanish Court Finds Luis Rubiales Guilty Of Sexual Assault.
Spain’s High Court has found former football federation president Luis Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent. He has been fined over €10,000 but was acquitted of coercion.
The ruling, announced on Thursday, also prohibits Rubiales from approaching Hermoso within a 200-metre radius or communicating with her for one year.
Rubiales, 47, faced charges following the controversial incident at the 2023 Women’s World Cup awards ceremony in Sydney. Alongside three former football federation officials, he was also accused of pressuring Hermoso to publicly declare that the kiss was consensual. However, the court dismissed the coercion charge.
The case ignited widespread debate in Spain over sexism in women’s football and society at large, prompting reforms in the country’s football governance. Prosecutors had initially sought a prison sentence, but the court opted for a financial penalty instead.
A lawyer for Hermoso was not immediately available for comment.
