Luis Rubiales’ trial for the non-consensual kiss of Jennifer Hermoso during the medal ceremony of the 2023 Women’s World Cup final lasted a fortnight. Within a week of its conclusion, a verdict was delivered.
More than 100 television cameras were present when the trial began, an indication of the huge interest in this case in the 18 months since Spain beat England in Sydney, Australia.
But when the verdict arrived, it came as a surprise: at lunchtime on a Thursday amid a cold snap in Madrid and without the parties involved being summoned to court.
Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (the RFEF), was found guilty of sexual assault, fined more than €10,000 ($11,400) and has been banned from going within 200 metres of Hermoso, and from communicating with her for one year. He, World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda, former sports director of the Spanish men’s team Albert Luque and Ruben Rivera, former marketing director of the RFEF, were acquitted of the coercion that the player reported after that kiss.
It means a story that started as Spain’s players lifted the World Cup trophy has reached some kind of conclusion. Though it is not over, since Rubiales and Hermoso plan to appeal.
GO DEEPER
Jenni Hermoso was not the victim people wanted her to be -…
