A Spanish court has found former football official Luis Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for kissing star player Jenni Hermoso without her consent. Rubiales was ordered to pay a fine of €10,800 ($11,300) for the incident, though he and three others were cleared of coercion charges.
Prosecutors had initially sought a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence—one year for sexual assault and 18 months for coercion—arguing that Rubiales pressured Hermoso to downplay the incident. The controversial kiss occurred following Spain’s Women’s World Cup victory in Australia in 2023.
The incident sparked widespread backlash, leading to Rubiales stepping down from his position and igniting discussions about sexism and macho culture in sports. In court, the 34-year-old Hermoso stated that she felt deeply disrespected, noting that the kiss was inappropriate in both professional and social contexts.
During the trial, the 47-year-old Rubiales defended himself by insisting that Hermoso had agreed to the kiss while receiving her medal, denying any coercion or forced silence. Although he admitted that he could have acted more formally, he maintained that his actions were not criminal and even condemned what he called “false feminism.” His courtroom statements marked a stark contrast to his initial reaction to the scandal, during which he dismissed criticism and resisted resigning. However, following global outrage, he resigned in September 2023 after FIFA suspended him and legal proceedings were initiated.
Jenni Hermoso, Spain’s all-time top scorer, now plays for Mexican club Tigres and was not immediately recalled to the national team after the World Cup. According to new coach Montse Tomé, this decision was made to protect her well-being rather than to punish her.
