Luis Rubiales in courtroom on day one in all Rubiales trial – Nationwide Courtroom, Madrid, Spain, February 3, 2025.— Reuters Rubiales accused of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso in 2023.Hermoso says she felt “disrespected” after non-consensual kiss.Rubiales says “totally sure” Hermoso consented to kiss.
MADRID: A Spanish courtroom on Thursday convicted former soccer chief Luis Rubiales of sexual assault over the pressured kiss he gave star ahead Jenni Hermoso and fined him 10,800 euros ($11,300).
However the courtroom acquitted him and the three different accused of the cost of coercion within the case.
Prosecutors had sought a jail time period of two-and-a-half years for Rubiales — one yr for sexual assault and 18 months for coercion — for having allegedly pressured the participant to downplay the incident.
Rubiales was accused of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso in 2023 following Spain’s triumph within the ladies’s World Cup in Australia, in addition to coercion for allegedly making an attempt to persuade her to downplay the incident afterwards.
The worldwide outcry over the kiss pressured Rubiales to resign in shame and thrust the highlight on the prevalence of macho tradition and sexism in sport.
Hermoso, 34, stated on the opening day of the trial on February 3 she felt “disrespected” after a non-consensual kiss that “should not happen in any social or work setting”.
However Rubiales, 47, informed the courtroom on Tuesday he was “totally sure” Hermoso consented to the kiss as she went as much as obtain her winner’s medal, which was broadcast reside all over the world, and denied placing strain on her after the incident.
He conceded he “made a mistake” on the rostrum, saying he ought to have “been in a more institutional role”, however denied any offence had been dedicated.
Rubiales’ stance on the stand contrasted with the defiance he displayed when the scandal broke.
Throughout an emergency federation assembly in August 2023, he minimised the significance of the kiss and defied requires his resignation, railing in opposition to “false feminism”.
Rubiales resigned in September that yr after FIFA suspended him and Spanish prosecutors opened an investigation into alleged sexual assault. He had been federation chief since 2018.
Hermoso, the all-time prime scorer for the Spain ladies’s group who now performs for Mexican membership Tigres, was not known as as much as the nationwide squad instantly after the World Cup.
However new coach Montse Tome stated she wished to guard the participant and denied omitting her from the squad was a “punishment”.
