Luis Rubiales
Luis Rubiales has been banned from all football-related activities for three years, following a FIFA disciplinary committee investigation into his conduct at the Women’s World Cup final.
The former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) received a 90-day suspension six days after the final, during which he planted a kiss on the lips of Spain forward Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony – an act she says was not consensual. He claims it was.
Rubiales was also seen grabbing his crotch in celebration and carrying Athenea del Castillo over his shoulder following Spain’s historic World Cup win.
He initially refused to resign from his post, insisting at an extraordinary general assembly called to address the issues that he was the victim of a witch-hunt and would not be stepping down.
However, on September 10, four days after Spain manager Jorge Vilda, a staunch ally of Rubiales who was backed by the president at the general assembly and offered a new €500,000-a-year-contract, was let go, Rubiales finally resigned.
Yesterday, FIFA announced that Rubiales had been found to have breached article 13 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which relates to “offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play” and was handed the three-year ban.
“This case relates to the events that occurred during the final of the Women’s World Cup on August 20, 2023, for which Mr Rubiales had been provisionally suspended for an initial period of 90 days,” the statement said.
“Mr Rubiales has been notified of the terms of the FIFA disciplinary committee’s decision today. The decision remains subject to a possible appeal before the FIFA appeal committee,” it added.
The high court in Spain has been examining the case after prosecutors cited concerns that there could be grounds to charge Rubiales with sexual assault as well as coercion over the Hermoso kiss. In a statement published on August 25, Hermoso said the incident had left her feeling “vulnerable and a victim of aggression”. She characterised the kiss as an “impulsive act, sexist, out of place and without any type of consent from my part”.