Former Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales has announced plans to appeal to Spain’s Supreme Court after his conviction for sexual assault—linked to the now-infamous non-consensual kiss on forward Jenni Hermoso—was upheld by the country’s top criminal court.
Appeal Filed After Court Upholds $12,600 Fine
Rubiales was fined €10,800 (around $12,600) earlier this year after the Audiencia Nacional found him guilty of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso during the 2023 Women’s World Cup medal ceremony. The kiss occurred during celebrations after Spain’s historic win over England in Sydney, but was swiftly condemned as inappropriate and non-consensual by Hermoso and her teammates.
On Wednesday, the court dismissed appeals from both the defence and prosecutors, keeping the conviction intact but also rejecting calls for a retrial or a tougher sentence. In a detailed ruling, the court declared: “The kiss was not consensual” and cited Hermoso’s testimony and teammate support as crucial evidence.
Rubiales Maintains His Innocence
Rubiales and his legal team continue to insist the kiss was a mutual celebration. Olga Tubau, Rubiales’s lawyer, told AFP that the former football boss would take the case to Spain’s Supreme Court, arguing judicial error and maintaining the kiss was a “peck between friends.”
“It cannot be said that a kiss in those circumstances was frequent or common or usual,” the court noted in response.
Coercion Charges Dropped for Rubiales and Others
Alongside Rubiales, several others stood accused of trying to coerce Hermoso into minimizing the incident. These included former women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda and officials Albert Luque and Ruben Rivera. The court cleared all four of this secondary charge, but the case remains a landmark for gender justice in Spanish sports.
Global Backlash and Football Ban
The Rubiales scandal unleashed a wave of global condemnation and led to major fallout for the Spanish Football Federation. Rubiales resigned from his position, was banned from all football-related activity for three years by FIFA, and became a pariah within the sporting world Luis Rubiales.
Hermoso, who was Spain’s top scorer and a crucial figure in their World Cup campaign, has since become a symbol of resistance against sexism in sports. Her case has been credited with strengthening public discourse on consent, gender power dynamics, and respect in athletics.
Separate Saudi Arabia Corruption Probe
Rubiales is also under investigation for alleged financial misconduct linked to the relocation of the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia. That deal involved a company owned by former Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué and reportedly involved millions of euros. Rubiales has dismissed these accusations as “falsehoods”.
Sentence and Restrictions Maintained
The court upheld not only the fine but also a restraining order preventing Rubiales from coming within 200 metres of Hermoso or contacting her for one year. Prosecutors’ request for a retrial—citing concerns about the judge’s impartiality—was also denied Luis Rubiales.
Although the court’s ruling fell short of the two-and-a-half-year prison sentence originally sought by state prosecutors, it set a judicial precedent. Feminist organisations, however, have expressed anger over what they see as a “light punishment” for a serious public offence Luis Rubiales.
Reactions and What’s Next
Public and political reaction remains divided. Supporters of Hermoso see the conviction as a victory, albeit a partial one. Critics say Spain’s judicial system still doesn’t go far enough to deter gender-based misconduct, particularly in high-profile positions of power.
Rubiales’s case now heads to the Supreme Court, where the outcome may further define the evolving boundaries of consent and professional conduct in sports.
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Conclusion
The Rubiales forced kiss case continues to highlight deep-rooted issues of gender, power, and accountability in global sport. With a Supreme Court appeal pending, the final chapter of this landmark legal battle remains to be written—but for many, the message is already clear: consent matters.
Stay updated on this story and more via The Morning News Informer’s Rubiales Coverage.
