Spain’s High Court has convicted Luis Rubiales, the former president of the country’s football federation, of non-consensually kissing player Jenni Hermoso after the 2023 World Cup Final, imposing a €10,000 fine on him.
The court cleared Rubiales of coercion charges.
Prosecutors had pushed for jail time in a case that ignited a nationwide discussion in Spain about sexism in women’s football and broader societal attitudes.
The court noted that the verdict prohibits Rubiales from coming within 200 meters of Hermoso or contacting her for a period of one year.
Rubiales, aged 47, faced sexual assault charges for kissing Ms. Hermoso on the lips during the 2023 World Cup awards ceremony in Sydney. He and three other ex-federation officials were also accused of pressuring her to claim the kiss was consensual, an allegation he rejected.
Rubiales maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
The incident, captured on video on August 20, 2023, showed him grabbing Ms. Hermoso’s head, kissing her on the mouth, and then releasing her after two pats on the back, ultimately led to his resignation from the federation presidency amid widespread backlash.
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