Luis Rubiales, the former leader of the National Federation of Spanish football who supported the victory of the Women’s team World Cup in 2023 by planting an unwanted Kiss on the lips of player Jenni Hermoso During the medal ceremony was found on Thursday of sexual assault for the act.
The High Court of Spain condemned rubials of assault to the forced kiss and inflicted a fine of 10,800 euros ($ 11,300).
Rubiales was also sentenced not to come within 650 feet of hermoso, and he cannot contact her for one year, under the order of the court. His lawyer, Olga Tubau Martinez, announced shortly after the verdict he would appeal to the court’s decision.
Matias Chiofalo / Europa Press / Getty
Rubials was acquitted, alongside three other accused, on the separate coercion load after Hermoso accused her of forcing her to support him following the kiss, which has become one of the greatest scandals of the History of Spanish football.
The prosecutors had pushed to imprison rubials for two and a half years.
Hermoso, 34, who plays in the Mexican football league as well as for her national team, said that she had received death threats as a counterpoup against rubials, and what was considered as institutional sexism in the Spanish sports, grew up.
Rubials and his supporters – including his mother, who made a hunger strike in a church to protest The treatment of his son – was without excuse, describing the kiss as “a mutual and consented act” and calling those who did not agree “Idiots and stupid people. “”
Rubials pleaded not guilty to all the accusations, by maintaining Madrid during the trial that he was “absolutely sure that she gave me her permission”.
During his testimony, Hermoso told court that “one of the happiest days of my life had been tarnished, and I think it is very important for me to say that I have never searched, again Less anticipated, that it would happen.
“I spent years fighting to win titles for my team, such as the World Cup,” she said. “But everything that happened to me means that I just couldn’t take advantage of it from the moment I set foot in Madrid. I am world champion, but it seems that, even to this day , my life was pending.
