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Former Spanish Football Association President Luis Rubiales has been convicted of sexual assault for kissing footballer Jenni Hermoso without her consent following the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.
The incident, which occurred after Spain's victory over England in Sydney, has been widely called the "Kissgate" scandal.
Spain’s High Court has ordered Rubiales to pay a fine exceeding €10,000 (£8,274) but acquitted him and three other defendants of coercion charges.
Prosecutors had initially sought a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales.
The court ruling also prohibits Rubiales from approaching within 200 meters of Hermoso or communicating with her for one year.
Rubiales has consistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming the kiss was a
mutual peck between friends celebrating a victory.
However, the court found his actions to be non-consensual and a violation of Hermoso’s autonomy.
During her testimony earlier this month at Madrid’s Audiencia Nacional court, Hermoso described the incident as a deeply distressing violation.
She recounted how Rubiales grabbed her head and kissed her on the lips without her consent, tarnishing what should have been one of the happiest moments of her life.
I felt it was completely inappropriate. A kiss on the lips is only given when I decide so. As a woman, I felt disrespected.
The court also heard allegations that Rubiales and his associates pressured Hermoso shortly after the incident to publicly declare the kiss was consensual, in an attempt to mitigate the growing backlash.
Consequences faced for his actions
Despite these efforts, the scandal led to Rubiales’ resignation in September 2023.
Additionally, he was banned from all football-related activities for three years in October 2023, a decision upheld on appeal in January 2024.