The appeal committee of FIFA has upheld the three-year ban on Luis Rubiales, following the rejection of an appeal made by the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
FIFA’s appeal committee has officially upheld the three-year ban imposed on Luis Rubiales on Friday. This decision comes after Rubiales was found guilty of kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent following Spain’s victory in the Women’s World Cup final against England. Despite the confirmation of the ban, Rubiales still has the option to challenge the decision by appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
FIFA stated that the Appeal Committee was fully convinced that Mr. Rubiales conducted himself in a manner that went against the principles outlined in article 13 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, both during and after the FIFA Women’s World Cup final. Additionally, FIFA informed Rubiales about the decision that had been made.
In September, the 46-year-old individual resigned from his position at the RFEF, citing its untenability. Despite facing pressure from players, politicians, and women’s groups, he initially refused to step down. A Spanish High Court judge has now proposed that Rubiales face trial for the non-consensual kiss, as an investigation revealed it to be a unilateral and unexpected action.
Additionally, the judge has ordered trials for former women’s team coach Jorge Vilda, as well as Albert Luque, the sport director of the men’s team, and Ruben Rivera, the marketing chief of the federation. They are being accused of pressuring Hermoso to falsely claim that the kiss was consensual.
Following Spain’s World Cup victory, Rubiales caused controversy when he kissed Hermoso on the lips during the televised celebrations. Despite facing global outrage, Rubiales refused to step down and instead referred to the act as a “mutual peck”.
Hermoso, Spain’s all-time leading scorer at the age of 33, vehemently denied that the kiss was consensual and labeled Rubiales’ statement as “completely untrue”. In September, she filed a criminal complaint against the 46-year-old Rubiales, leading state prosecutors to charge him with sexual assault and coercion shortly after.
This incident triggered a significant discussion about sexism in Spanish football, with the rallying cry “se acab³” (it’s over) resonating across various domains and sparking a broader conversation about sexism within Spanish society.