Former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales has been found guilty of sexual assault for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent after the 2023 Women’s World Cup Final, Al Jazeera reports.
The Audiencia Nacional court issued the verdict on Thursday, fining Rubiales 10,000 euros ($10,455).
The court also ordered Rubiales to stay at least 660 feet away from Hermoso and refrain from contacting her for one year.
The incident, which occurred during the medal ceremony following Spain’s victory, sparked widespread outrage and ignited a debate about sexism in women’s sports. Rubiales resigned from his post in September 2023 amid the controversy.
While Hermoso testified that the kiss was not consensual and left her feeling “disrespected,” Rubiales maintained that it was a consensual act. He reiterated his position in court, stating he was “absolutely sure” of its consensual nature.
Judge Jose Manuel Fernandez-Prieto stated that he believed Hermoso’s testimony that she had not consented to the kiss, the court ultimately declined to impose a prison sentence on Rubiales and acquitted him of coercion. The judge ruled that the sexual assault, “while always reproachable” was of minor intensity as there was no violence or intimidation.
Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence for Rubiales, including one year for assault and 18 months for coercion, alleging that he and other officials attempted to pressure Hermoso into downplaying the incident and stating the kiss was consensual. However, the court also acquitted the three co-defendants of coercion.
Hermoso, the all-time leading scorer for the Spanish women’s team, testified that the unsolicited kiss and its aftermath had “stained one of the happiest days of my life.”
