Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish football federation, found guilty of sexual assault. His offensive behavior of forcibly kissing player Jenni Hermoso resulted in this dramatic legal ruling. The incident occurred during the medal ceremony following Spain’s victory over England in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final. That’s the underlying reason why the ruling has set off an unprecedented wave of public outcry. Consequently, Rubiales is subject to a three-year suspension from participating in any football-related activities.
Rubiales initially defended the kiss by claiming it was a consensual “peck” shared between friends. Hermoso is adamant, and says it wasn’t consensual. Her claim has been met, rightly, by a tidal wave of public opinion decrying the behavior of Rubiales. The court imposed a fine on Rubiales. It further announced a one-year ban, barring him from approaching Hermoso within 200 metres or contacting her.
In another story, the court ruled that Jorge Vilda, Albert Luque and Ruben Rivera will not face any coercion charges. This decision is an important turning point in the case. Ex-FIFA president Rubiales still under fire Rubiales is still on the defensive. His lawyer, Olga Tubau, has announced intentions to appeal the conviction at the Supreme Court. The court found no error and sustained the conviction and fine. It dismissed appeals from Rubiales’ defense team as well as from prosecutors.
The ruling has generated immense outrage because it is indeed outrageous. In particular, feminist organizations have been extremely active, raising their alarm that the proposed punishment is drastically inadequate given the seriousness of the crime. Prosecutors had originally requested a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales, acknowledging the gravity of his misconduct.
Rubiales is defending a sexual assault case and a new criminal investigation. Now authorities are investigating his reported financial misconduct about moving the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia. According to reports, these irregularities may add up to millions of euros. They could be connected to a sports company owned by former soccer star Gerard Pique. This criminal inquiry further complicates Rubiales’ legal issues.
This international outcry after the unwanted kiss led Rubiales to resign as the head of Spanish football. Her resignation foreshadowed a dramatic change in leadership and in mission at the flagship organization of the movement. The public is running out of patience with this double standard both on the field and off. This wave of sentiment could be a new tipping point for how these types of cases would be handled in the future.
