In a landmark decision, a judge at Spain's High Court found former Spain football chief Luis Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for a forced kiss on Women's World Cup-winning player Jenni Hermoso. The court ruled that Rubiales violated Hermoso's "sexual freedom" without her consent during the 2023 Women's World Cup medal ceremony. The ruling bans Rubiales from football activities until October 2026 and restricts him from approaching within 200 meters of Hermoso for one year. Despite the verdict, Rubiales intends to appeal.
The controversy erupted when video footage captured Rubiales clasping Hermoso's head and kissing her on the lips. This sparked a global outcry, highlighting issues of sexism and macho culture in sports. In the aftermath, Rubiales resigned under mounting pressure. Prosecutors had sought a two-and-a-half-year prison term for Rubiales, but the court acquitted him of coercion charges related to pressuring Hermoso to declare the kiss consensual.
Rubiales maintained his stance in court, asserting he was "totally sure" Hermoso had consented to the kiss. However, the judge's ruling emphasized that such a gesture "is not the normal way of greeting people with whom one has no sentimental relationship." The decision underscored the significance of consent and the boundaries of personal interactions.
FIFA had already imposed a three-year ban on Rubiales from all football-related activities in October 2023. The Court of Arbitration for Sport supported this decision, stating it "saw no reason to consider the sanction to be disproportionate." In addition to the ban, Rubiales faces a fine of 10,800 euros ($11,300).
The case has become a pivotal moment in the fight against sexual misconduct in sports. Felix Bolanos praised Hermoso's bravery, saying:
"We must all be grateful to Jenni, because she took an initiative, in a very difficult moment, to defend the rights and freedom of women and to emphasise that this society, our Spanish society, no longer allows any type of abuse, no longer admits any type of sexual assault," – Felix Bolanos
He further stressed the importance of recognizing non-consensual actions as assaults:
"One thing is clear: a non-consensual kiss is sexual assault, period," – Felix Bolanos
