A Spanish court on Wednesday upheld a €10,800 fine imposed on former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales for forcibly kissing star player Jenni Hermoso during the 2023 Women’s World Cup medal ceremony, a verdict that has drawn criticism from feminist groups who view the penalty as overly lenient.
The Audiencia Nacional rejected appeals from both Rubiales’s legal team and state prosecutors, who had sought a more severe punishment, including a prison sentence. In February, Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault but acquitted of a separate charge of coercion, which alleged he pressured Hermoso into minimizing the incident publicly.
Rubiales has insisted that the kiss was a spontaneous, friendly gesture shared in the excitement of victory, claiming it was consensual. Hermoso, however, stated otherwise, triggering widespread outrage and prompting legal action.
Prosecutors had called for a two-and-a-half-year prison term, one year for sexual assault and 18 months for coercion. The court also reaffirmed a one-year restraining order preventing Rubiales from contacting Hermoso or coming within 200 meters of her.
In addition to Rubiales, the court cleared former women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda and federation officials Albert Luque and Ruben Rivera of the coercion allegations. A request to reopen the case on grounds of alleged judicial bias was also dismissed.
The incident ignited global condemnation, eventually leading to Rubiales’s resignation, a three-year ban from football-related activities, and internal upheaval within the Spanish football federation. It also elevated Hermoso to a symbol of resistance against sexism and the entrenched macho culture in sports.
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