Luis Rubiales, the ex-boss of the RFEF or the Spanish Football Federation, was found guilty of sexual assault due to kissing player Jenni Hermoso against her will after the awards ceremony of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. According to Spain’s National Court, the aforementioned ruling serves as a landmark ruling in the fight against sexism adrift in sports.
Sentences Passed and Order of the Court
He is ordered to pay Rubiales more than 10,000 euros as a fine for this act and during one year within which he cannot come close to or contact Hermoso within a radius of 200 meters. Apart from that, the court also ordered Rubiales to pay €3,000 as compensation for moral damage. However, he was acquitted of charges of coercion as well as three co-accused under the intimidation of Hermoso, while defending Rubiales.
The ruling event relates to the medal ceremony after the tremendous victory of South Africa against Spain in the World Women’s World Cup, Sydney, in August 2023. Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips with not being given permission which caused him an outrage and the kind of thing that has raised a national debate about gender inequality and abuse of power.
Ways Hermoso’s Testimony Will Affect Women’s Sports
During the trial, Hermoso insisted the kiss had not been consensual and brought attention to the incident well beyond her otherwise ecstatic reaction to one of the sporting world’s biggest events. In her testimony, she indicated that since that event, members of the RFEF had been pressuring her to minimize the matter entirely.
Luis Rubiales, the former chief of Spanish soccer, convicted for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without boundaries. February 21, 2025. Rubiales, the former president of the RFEF was forced, on account of initially carrying out the IMOC code to be invested with a kiss, on Hermoso, rather than initially forced, into a cavity decorated in 2023 by the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Now, the ruling, on this count, would serve as one of the few milestone holds within the Netherlands in representation of sexism in sports.
The verdict and its counterparts
Rubiales was fined for over €10,000 with a restraining order order of one year prohibiting him from coming closer or having contact with Hermoso within 200 meters. He was also required to pay her €3,000 in moral damages. However, the former football federation official went with lucidness, not guilty on other co-defendants who were charged with intimidation against Hermoso to defend Rubiales.
This verdict stemmed from an incident during the medals ceremony after Spain won the Women’s World Cup. In light of the significance of the event itself, Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips without her consent, all the more so escalating the outrage and competition in the national discourse about gender inequities and the abuse of power in sports.
How Hermoso testified in court and the heavy toll on women’s sports
At the trial, Hermoso explained that the kiss overshadowed her celebration of one of the greatest moments in her career and that she had been pressured by officials from the Federation to tone the issue down.
Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for non-consensual kiss former Spanish soccer chief
