Spain’s High Court has upheld a verdict that found the nation’s former football federation president Luis Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for an unsolicited kiss on Jenni Hermoso following their Women’s World Cup triumph in 2023.
The court rejected multiple appeals against the conviction, reaffirming Rubiales kissed Hermoso without her consent during the medal ceremony after Spain’s women had won the trophy, according to the ruling seen by Reuters.
Rubiales was fined over €10,000 and acquitted of coercion charges alongside three co-defendants. Prosecutors had sought a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence and called for a retrial, both of which were dismissed.
The incident sparked widespread debate about sexism in Spanish society and women’s football, fuelling momentum for the “Me Too” movement in the country.
Rubiales argued that his actions were motivated by an uncontrollable joy, but the court ruled that his restraint with other players and attendees demonstrated he could have avoided such behaviour with Hermoso.
“Since that emotion did not lead him to express his joy so effusively by kissing the other players or the accompanying persons in the box, and he restrained himself, he could also have done so, without too much effort, with the captain of the team,” the court said.