Court upholds conviction for sexual assault on Rubiales: Hermoso case

Spanish court upholds conviction against Luis Rubiales for sexual assault

The High Court of Justice of Spain confirmed this Wednesday the sentence that declares the former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, guilty of sexual assault. The ruling refers to the non-consented kiss on the lips to the national team player Jenni Hermoso during the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Sydney. The court dismissed multiple appeals against the conviction, reaffirming that Rubiales kissed Hermoso without her consent during the medal ceremony after Spain’s victory, according to the ruling reviewed by sources.

Luis Rubiales was president of the Spanish Football Federation for five years.Rubiales was fined more than 10,000 euros ($11,592) and acquitted of coercion charges along with three co-defendants. Prosecutors had requested a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence and requested a new trial, both dismissed. The incident sparked a broad debate about sexism in Spanish society and women’s football, driving the “Me Too” movement in the country. Rubiales argued that his actions were motivated by uncontrollable joy, but the court ruled that his restraint with other players and attendees demonstrated that he could have avoided such behavior with Hermoso.

“Since that emotion did not lead him to express his joy so effusively by kissing the other players or the people accompanying him in the box, and he restrained himself, he could also have done so, without too much effort, with the team captain,” the court stated.

High Court of Justice of Spain