Luis Rubiales found guilty of sexually assaulting Jenni Hermoso with World Cup kiss

The former boss of Spain’s football federation has been found guilty of sexual assault, after kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent.

Luis Rubiales, 47, was fined €10,800 (slightly more than £8,900/$11,300), but avoided a prison sentence.

A judge at Spain’s national court also banned him from going within a 200-metre radius of Hermoso, and from communicating with her for one year. He was acquitted of coercion for allegedly attempting to pressure Hermoso into saying publicly that the kiss was consensual, according to the BBC.

“This action of giving a woman a kiss on the mouth has a clear sexual connotation, and it is not the normal way of greeting people with whom one does not have an emotional relationship,” judge José Manuel Clemente Fernández-Prieto said, Spanish newspaper El País reported.

The incident took place as Spain’s players received their medals after winning the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Rubiales was seen on live TV kissing Hermoso on her lips.

Hermoso, who said at the beginning of last year that she doesn’t identify as heterosexual, was supported after the incident by celebrities and fans, and, after she made an official complaint, Rubiales announced his resignation in September 2023.

Giving evidence to the court, Rubiales said he was “absolutely sure” Hermoso had given her consent, describing the kiss as “something completely spontaneous” and an “act of affection”.

Hermoso denied consenting to the kiss, saying she “didn’t hear or understand anything”, and that the incident had “stained one of the happiest days of my life”.

Despite the incident, Hermoso has spoken out about the supportive environment of women’s football, adding that male players often face a greater backlash over their sexuality.

“I never explicitly told my parents that I liked girls,” Hermoso told TV show Planeta Calleja. “It is something that has always been taboo but there was actually no need to discuss it openly: the people around me knew. My parents weren’t stupid.

“In women’s football, it is much easier to come out than in men’s football. There is a stereotypical image of a footballer with a wife and children. There are some male footballers who have come out but they have been met with a lot of hate. Male footballers are not inclined to talk about it because they are treated differently.

“That player who feels that way does not believe that it is good for his future and they are not going to say it because in men’s soccer it is unlikely that they will treat you in a way that makes you feel good.”

Prosecutors had demanded a prison sentence for Rubiales and he could have been jailed for 2½ years, according to The Guardian.

Three of Rubiales’ former colleagues, Jorge Vilda, Rubén Rivera and Albert Luque, were found not guilty of colluding in the alleged coercion.

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