Luis Rubiales guilty of sexually assaulting Jenni Hermoso in World Cup kiss

Rubiales has been fined more than 10,000 euros (£8,276), but acquitted of coercion, ITV News Reporter Ian Woods has the latest

Former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales has been found guilty of sexual assault after kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent at the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.

The kiss, caught on camera during the medal ceremony, went viral on social media and sparked protests across Spain, highlighting sexism in sport and wider issues of sexual assault.

Rubiales, 47, was fined more than 10,000 euros (£8,276), but cleared of coercion charges.

Former Spanish national team coach Jorge Vilda, along with federation officials Albert Luque and Ruben Rivera, was also found not guilty of coercion.

Jenni Hermoso leaving court after testifying during the trial. / Credit: AP

Rubiales was also banned from going within 200 metres of Hermoso or contacting her for one year.

The court added that the judge had analysed the crime of sexual assault and found it had been committed by “carrying out in a surprising way an act that violates the sexual freedom of another person without the consent of the assaulted”.

“It is a reprehensible act carried out by the defendant within the euphoria of the celebration of having won the World Cup, an unprecedented success in Spanish women’s football,” the judge said.

The judge gave “full credibility” to the testimony given by Hermoso, who stressed throughout that the kiss was non-consensual.

The ruling of the court can be appealed against before the Criminal Division of the National Court.

Rubiales was accused of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso on the mouth and, along with three former football officials, of trying to coerce her into saying it was consensual at the 2023 World Cup awards ceremony in Sydney.

He resigned under pressure three weeks after the scandal surfaced and was banned by Fifa for three years.

The ruling was less severe than what Hermoso’s prosecutors had sought.

They had called for a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence, €50,000 (£41,800) in damages, and a ban on Rubiales working as a sports official.

Rubiales said he was the victim of a “witch hunt” by “false feminists”.