Luis Rubiales Officially Banned For Forcefully Kissing Female Player
World football governing body FIFA on Friday confirmed the banning of former Spanish Football chief Luis Rubiales after rejecting his appeal on the earlier decision that saw him banned for 3 years away from association from any sports related activities.
Luis Rubiales kissed Spain and Tigres UANL, forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips against her consent after the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney in August 2023 where Spain won the women’s World cup after beating the England Lionesses. Rubiales is set to face trial in Spain for the same.
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Though Rubiales denied the kiss was forced and he could still appeal his worldwide ban from all “football-related activities” by FIFA at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Spain women’s team clinched their first-ever World Cup trophy after beating Sarina Wiegman side 1-0 in the Finals with a lonely goal scored by Real Madrid Femeni Olga Carmona. However, they didn’t enjoy their World Championship due to the Rubiales kissing scandal with Jenni Hermoso that unfolded a few days after they were crowned as World Champions.
Rubiales initially refused to resign from his post for three weeks before worldwide pressure mounted against him, with several players boycotting the Spanish football federation before notable changes were made in the federation.
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Spain Head Coach Jorge Vilda was fired by the federation and is among the three others alongside Rubiales who face charges of compulsion for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to say the kiss was mutual. In September, Rubiales told MARCA, “The kiss to Jenni Hermoso was like the one I would give to my daughters.”
On Thursday 25th January, a Spanish judge proposed that Rubiales be tried on charges of sexual assault and compulsion. Judge Francisco de Jorge of Spain’s Audiencia Nacional top criminal court concluded the kiss “was not mutual and was a unilateral and unexpected move” by Rubiales.
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