Luis Rubiales has been banned from football for three years following his behaviour after the Women’s World Cup final, where he kissed Spain forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips.
The former president of Spain’s football federation (RFEF) was initially suspended for 90 days by Fifa but has now been found guilty of breaching the world governing body’s disciplinary code.
Rubiales has denied that the kiss was not consensual. Last month a Spanish court ordered that Rubiales should not come within 200 metres of Hermoso. If his case goes to a full trial for alleged sexual assault he could face a fine or a jail term.
The 46-year-old resigned as the RFEF president in September. In an interview with broadcaster Piers Morgan that month, Rubiales admitted that his actions in Sydney were a mistake, but added that his intentions had been “noble” and “100 per cent non-sexual”, claiming that the kiss on Hermoso’s lips was “a mutual act”.
Former Barcelona star Hermoso says she did not consent to the kiss, and told the Spanish Prosecutor: “I don’t deserve to have experienced what I did. It became difficult for me to leave the house.”
Rubiales was also criticised by on-lookers around the world for appearing to grab his crotch when celebrating Spain’s victory over England in the final at Sydney. He initially refused to resign.
Fifa’s disciplinary committee were known to be investigating whether Rubiales had breached article 13 of their laws, which relates to “offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play”. That article also covers matters of integrity and – as an example – can charge “anyone who violates the basic rules of decent conduct” or “behaving in a way that brings the sport into disrepute.
On Friday, Hermoso returned to Spain’s side for the first time since the World Cup final. She scored the world champions’ 89th-minute winner in their 1-0 victory away against Italy in the Women’s Nations League.
The full statement from Fifa said: “The Fifa Disciplinary Committee has banned Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Association (RFEF), from all football-related activities at national and international levels for three years, having found that he acted in breach of article 13 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code.
“This case relates to the events that occurred during the final of the Fifa Women’s World Cup on 20 August 2023, for which Mr Rubiales had been provisionally suspended for an initial period of 90 days.
“Mr Rubiales has been notified of the terms of the Fifa disciplinary committee’s decision today. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Fifa disciplinary code, he has ten days in which to request a motivated decision, which, if requested, would subsequently be published on legal.fifa.com. The decision remains subject to a possible appeal before the Fifa appeal committee.
“Fifa reiterates its absolute commitment to respecting and protecting the integrity of all people and ensuring that the basic rules of decent conduct are upheld.”
