Forced Kiss: Spanish court convicts ex-Football chief Rubiales over sexual assault

A Spanish court has found former football chief Luis Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for forcibly kissing star forward Jenni Hermoso.

The court handed Rubiales a fine of €10,800 ($11,300) but acquitted him and three other defendants of coercion charges.

Prosecutors had initially sought a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales one year for sexual assault and 18 months for coercion claiming he pressured Hermoso to downplay the incident.

The case stemmed from the controversial kiss Rubiales gave Hermoso after Spain’s victory in the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia. While the court upheld the sexual assault charge, it found insufficient evidence to support claims of coercion

The global outcry over the kiss forced Rubiales to resign in disgrace and thrust the spotlight on the prevalence of macho culture and sexism in sport.

Hermoso, 34, said on the opening day of the trial on February 3 she felt “disrespected” after a non-consensual kiss that “should not happen in any social or work setting”.

But Rubiales, 47, told the court on Tuesday he was “totally sure” Hermoso consented to the kiss as she went up to receive her winner’s medal, which was broadcast live around the world, and denied putting pressure on her after the incident.

He conceded he “made a mistake” on the podium, saying he should have “been in a more institutional role”, but denied any offence had been committed.

Rubiales’ stance on the stand contrasted with the defiance he displayed when the scandal broke.

During an emergency federation meeting in August 2023, he minimised the importance of the kiss and defied calls for his resignation, railing against “false feminism”.

Rubiales resigned in September that year after FIFA suspended him and Spanish prosecutors opened an investigation into alleged sexual assault. He had been federation chief since 2018.

Hermoso, the all-time top scorer for the Spain women’s team who now plays for Mexican club Tigres, was not called up to the national squad immediately after the World Cup.

But new coach Montse Tome said she wanted to protect the player and denied omitting her from the squad was a “punishment”.