Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), has been found guilty of sexually assaulting Jenni Hermoso during the 2023 Women's World Cup final. FIFA initially banned Rubiales from all football-related activities for 90 days. However, following an investigation, the international governing body extended this ban to three years. Rubiales appealed the three-year ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but the appeal was rejected, upholding the decision.
The controversy began when Rubiales kissed Hermoso without her consent during the trophy presentation ceremony after Spain's victory in the Women's World Cup. The kiss sparked outrage and led to a thorough investigation into his conduct. Although Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault, he was acquitted of coercion. Additionally, he was fined €10,000 for his actions.
In response to the backlash, Rubiales issued a video statement apologizing for his behavior, which was widely condemned as "unacceptable." On September 10, 2023, he resigned from his position as president of RFEF. Despite his resignation, legal proceedings continued. A Spanish judge called on Rubiales to testify in an investigation regarding the incident with Hermoso.
Hermoso accused the RFEF of exerting "continuous pressure" on her to justify Rubiales' actions. In a show of solidarity, Spain's World Cup-winning women's team declared they would not participate in any matches for the country until Rubiales was removed from his post. This stance underscores the team's commitment to advocating for change within their federation.
An investigating judge recommended that Rubiales be tried over the controversial kiss, while a prosecutor at Spain's High Court announced they were seeking a two-and-a-half-year jail term for him. Despite these developments, Rubiales maintained before a judge that Hermoso had given consent for the kiss.
The international football community has shown support for Hermoso and her teammates. England's Women's national team manager Sarina Wiegman expressed her solidarity with the Spanish players.
"It is very hard to talk about that now after football." – Sarina Wiegman
Wiegman praised the courage of Hermoso and her teammates for standing up against unacceptable behavior.
"It is changing society and that is good. They have so much courage to stand for this and themselves. It is solidarity with them." – Sarina Wiegman
Lucy Bronze, a prominent player on England's women's team, also voiced her admiration for the Spanish players.
"It's been incredible that the players have had to go through that. Not only winning the World Cup and the media outside of it but they are in the court case and they are speaking out." – Lucy Bronze
Bronze highlighted their efforts to bring about change within their federation, emphasizing their determination to fight for a better future.
"They are fighting for change – not just within the court case – but they are fighting for change in their federation. It's amazing." – Lucy Bronze
Despite the legal and societal implications surrounding this case, Wiegman reminded everyone of the Spanish team's remarkable achievements on the field.
"We should be talking about the Spanish team and how good they are." – Sarina Wiegman
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