After kissing signs at the 2023 World Cup: Luis spoke to the court guilty

The former President of the Spanish Football Association, Luis Rubiales (47), was found to have been guilty of sexually harassing footballer Jenni Hermoso (34). Rubiales had kissed the striker on the mouth after the victory of the Spanish national team at the 2023 World Cup. He has to pay a fine of 10,800 euros and must not approach the player more than 200 meters,

The public prosecutor had asked for a prison sentence of two and a half years – one year for sexual abuse and 18 months for coercion. Rubiales and three co -accused were acquitted of the accusation of coercion. The three co -accused – the former head coach of the women’s national team Jorge Vilda, the former sports director of the Spanish football association Albert Luque and the former marketing director of the Rubén Rivera Association – are said to have put pressure on Hermoso that the kiss was mandatory.

Jenni Hermoso said in her testimony on the first day of the trial before the national court in San Fernando de Henares near Madrid that she had never agreed to the kiss through rubyers and he also did not ask for her permission. “I found it completely out of place and then I realized that my boss kissed me, and that should not happen in any social environment or at work,” said the national player. “I didn’t feel respected. One of the happiest days of my life was clouded.” The kiss and its consequences would have turned her life upside down and hit her family heavily.

Rubiales admitted an assessment error in his statement, but insisted that the kiss was mutually acceptable. “I am absolutely sure that she gave me her permission,” he said in court. He also denied that he tried to force Hermoso into a statement that is playing down the incident.

The kiss incident triggered outrage worldwide in 2023 and ensured that rubyers were temporarily suspended by FIFA, received a criminal complaint and resigned as President of the Spanish Football Association.