Former Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales has been found guilty of kissing player Jenni Hermoso without consent after the Women’s World Cup final in 2023.
Spain’s High Court has ordered Rubiales to pay a fine worth more than £8,274 (€10,000) but has acquitted him of coercion. Prosecutors had demanded a prison sentence for Rubiales.
World Cup winner Hermoso previously told Rubiales’s trial in Madrid she “never” agreed to the former Spanish football chief kissing her on the lips – and the moment “tainted one of the happiest days” of her life.
Rubiales, 47, stood accused of sexual assault and of then attempting to coerce Hermoso into declaring the kiss had been consensual.
He denied the charges, claiming the kiss was consensual and happened in a “moment of jubilation”.
Hermoso repeatedly claimed the kiss with Rubiales, a controversy which ended up overshadowing Spain’s 1-0 victory over England in August 2023, was not consensual.
The ensuing scandal proved a tipping point for efforts by Spain’s female players to expose sexism and achieve parity with male counterparts.
Hermoso told the High Court earlier this month she “felt disrespected” and had “never” agreed to the kiss.
“I didn’t hear or understand anything,” she said. “The next thing he did was to grab me by the ears and kiss me on the mouth.
“I knew I was being kissed by my boss and that should not happen in any social or work environment,” she added.
“I think it was a moment that tainted one of the happiest days of my life.
“All this meant I couldn’t enjoy at all being a world champion after I landed back in Madrid.”
Following the scandal, Rubiales eventually resigned and in October 2023 was banned from all football-related activities for three years by FIFA.
Rubiales claimed he was the victim of a “witch hunt” by “false feminists”.
Bronze: Spain players are brave for fighting for change
Lucy Bronze shares her support for all of the Spanish players involved in the Luis Rubiales case and gives an insight into how some of her former Barcelona team-mates have dealt with it all.
England defender Lucy Bronze, who played for Barcelona at the time of the World Cup, hailed Hermoso and her Spain team-mates for “standing up for change”.
Bronze said: “It’s been incredible that the players have had to go through that. Not only winning the World Cup and the media outside of it but they are in the court case and they are speaking out.
“It’s incredibly brave of the individuals and the team involved. They are fighting for change – not just within the court case – but they are fighting for change in their federation. It’s amazing.
“As an England team we’ve made changes in our federation – not at the same extent or for the same reason – but we stand by the Spanish players. As a team we wish them all the best and want them to get what they deserve.
“We want them to just enjoy their football as well. Having been there last year at Barcelona and watching all the players go through the ordeals after the World Cup, [it] was challenging off the pitch as well for them. It would be nice for them to get back to focusing on their football because they are incredible people and unbelievable players.”
More to follow…
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