The former president of the Spanish football federation, Luis Rubiales, who was found guilty of kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent, has lost his appeal against his suspension from football, according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Rubiales received a three-year ban from all football-related activities following the incident with Hermoso as she accepted her Women’s World Cup winner’s medal in Sydney in 2023.
On the previous day, a Madrid court convicted Rubiales of sexual assault due to the kiss and imposed a fine of €10,800, though he was acquitted of coercion for allegedly pressuring Ms. Hermoso to minimize the incident.
CAS stated in a release that it was rejecting the appeal because Rubiales’ actions “constituted multiple and serious violations of the FIFA Disciplinary Code… and (it) found no reason to view the sanction as disproportionate.”
Following yesterday’s trial verdict, Rubiales announced his plans to appeal.
Ms. Hermoso is also planning to file an appeal.
