Luis Rubiales, the former disgrace president of the Royal Spanish Football Football Federation, was found guilty in a court in Madrid on Thursday of the sexual assault of Spain Jenni Hermoso when he kissed him by force during the Final of the Women’s World Cup in 2023.
The judge acquitted him of coercion, another accusation he was facing during his trial this month, and did not sentence him to any prison sentence despite the argument of prosecutors that he should spend two years and half in prison. Three other people who have also been tried for coercion were also authorized in this account – the ex -Spain coach Jorge Vilda, the former sport director of the Alberto Luque federation and the former market manager Ruben Rivera.
Rubials, however, was ordered to pay more than $ 13,000 in fines and compensation, it is prohibited to go less than 200 meters from hermoso and was also prohibited to contact her during this period.
“This action to embrace a woman on the lips has a clear sexual connotation and is not the way people greet those with whom they are not in an emotional relationship,” said Judge Jose Manuel Clemente Fernandez-Prieto in his verdict.
Rubials kissed Hermoso by force during the trophy ceremony during the 2023 women’s World Cup final in Sydney, Australia, where Spain won the trophy for the first time after defeating England 1-0 . The incident tainted the historic victory of Spain, Hermoso saying on the stand that he “stained one of the happiest days of my life”.
The incident also underlined the underestimation of the years of the national female team by the federation officials, spending a small fraction of their overall budget on the female program 10 years ago. These problems followed Spain during their winning World Cup race, with 15 Protestant players against the national team a few months before the competition after having detailed a toxic workplace favored by Vilda.
Rubials 10 days to call the verdict before the same courtyard.
