Ex-Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales guilty of kissing Jenni Hermoso without consent after World Cup final
20 February 2025, 12:40 | Updated: 20 February 2025, 13:46
Former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales has been found guilty of kissing a player without consent after the Women's World Cup final in 2023.
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Rubiales kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain won the Women's World Cup in Sydney, Australia in August 2023.
He was ordered to pay an 18-month fine totalling more than €10,000 after being found guilty on Thursday, equating to €20 a day.
He was also handed a year-long restraining order, which bars him from communicating with Hermoso or going within 200m of her.
Rubiales was acquitted of trying to coerce Hermoso into saying the kiss was consensual. Former Spanish national team coach Jorge Vilda was also found not guilty of coercion along with other Spanish federation staff members at the time, Albert Luque and Ruben Rivera.
During the trial, Hermoso said she "never" agreed to Rubiales kissing her on the lips, adding that the moment "tainted one of the happiest days" of her life.
She told the High Court she "felt disrespected".
"I didn't hear or understand anything," Hermoso 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."
Rubiales denied the allegations, saying the kiss had been consensual and happened in a "moment of jubilation".
Nick Ferrari discusses the 'sexual intent' of Luis Rubiales' World Cup kiss
Prosecutors had requested a custodial sentence of two and a half years for Rubiales - one year for the kiss and 18 months for coercion - the court said in a statement confirming the verdict reached by Judge Jose Manuel Clemente Fernandez-Prieto.
The ruling of this court can be appealed against before the Criminal Division of the National Court.
In October 2023, Rubiales was banned for three years from all football activity.
The decision was upheld following an appeal in January 2024.
FIFA said at the time: "FIFA reiterates its absolute commitment to respecting and protecting the integrity of all people and ensuring that the basic rules of decent conduct are upheld."
