Julius OkorieThe hammer of the law may be slow in coming but it will surely come, as a Spanish court has found former football chief, Luis Rubiales, guilty of sexual assault for the non-consensual kiss he gave star forward, Jenni Hermoso.
Rubiales has been ordered to pay €10,800 ($11,300) as a fine for the act, which practically overshadowed Spain Women’s victory over England at the final of the 2023 FIFA Women World Cup, in Australia/New Zealand. While Rubiales was convicted of sexual assault, he and three others were however acquitted of coercion charges.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelProsecutors had initially sought a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales—comprising one year for sexual assault and 18 months for coercion—arguing that he pressured Hermoso to minimize the incident’s significance.
The global condemnation surrounding the kiss, led to Rubiales resigning from his position, highlighting important discussions about the issues of macho culture and sexism in sports. Hermoso, 34, expressed in court that she faced significant disrespect from the kiss, which she asserted was inappropriate in any professional or social context
Rubiales, 47, maintained during the trial that he believed Hermoso had consented to the kiss as she accepted her medal. He denied any form of coercion following the incident, which received extensive media coverage. Admitting to a misstep on the podium, he acknowledged the need for a more formal demeanour but maintained that no offence was committed.
READ ALSO:Spaniah Judge Restrains Rubiales From Hermoso Over World Cup Kiss
His court statements contrasted sharply with his earlier response to the scandal, where he downplayed the incident and resisted calls for his resignation while criticising what he termed “false feminism.” Following the global backlash, Rubiales resigned in September 2023 after being suspended by FIFA and facing a legal investigation.
Jenni Hermoso, recognised as the all-time top scorer for Spain’s women’s team, currently plays for Mexican club Tigres.
Spain Women football team nicknamed La Roja clinched the last women world cup after beating their England counterparts by a lone goal in the final played at the Stadium Australia on August 20, 2023.
Olga Carmona’s 29th minute goal was all that was needed to seal victory for the Spanish side who were clinching title for the first time in their third appearance at the FIFA Women world cup.
Prior to winning the title La Roja had featured in the 2015 and 2019 editions, crashing out in the Group Stage and round of 16 respectively.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
