MADRID: Spain’s high court said today it had found former football federation boss Luis Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent, and set a fine of over €10,000, but acquitted him of coercion.
Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence for Rubiales in a case that sparked a debate in Spain about sexism in women’s football and wider Spanish society.
“The ruling bans Rubiales from going within a 200m radius of Hermoso and from communicating with her for one year,” the court said in a statement.
Rubiales, 47, was accused of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso on the mouth.
He was also accused – along with three other former federation officials – of attempting to then coerce her into saying the kiss, at the 2023 World Cup awards ceremony in Sydney, was consensual.
A lawyer for Hermoso was not immediately available for comment.