Luis Rubiales found guilty of sexual assault but acquitted of coercion: He will not go to prison

Former Spanish football president has been found guilty of sexual assault after kissing Jenni Hermoso.
Text: Javier Escribano
Published 2025-02-20

Spanish National Court has announced their verdict on the trial against Luis Rubiales and other former members of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). Rubiales kissed without consent the player Jenni Hermoso on August 20, 2023, when the Spanish National Team won World Cup 2023.

The moment, seen live by millions at home, sparked a national and international wave of criticism that ended up with the resignation of Rubiales (after being barred by FIFA) and other directives of the club, including coach Jorge Vilda.

Prosecutors asked for two and a half years in prison for Rubiales, accusing him of sexual assault and coercion, when he tried to force Hermoso to say that the kiss was consensual, trying to stop the public condemnation. The court has found Rubiales guilty of sexual assault, but not guilty on coercion. He will be punished with 10,800 euros ban, which he will have to pay in 18 months, but no prison.

Rubiales has a retraining order against Hermoso: he is not allowed to come closer than 200 meters or talk to her in any way for a year. The other RFEF directives (Vilda, Albert Luque, director of the team, and Rubén Rivera, chief of marketing) have been acquitted: the Spanish Court found no evidence of coercion, despite statements by Hermoso, his brother or other colleagues including Alexia Putellas, Irene Paredes or Misa Rodríguez, saying that RFEF chiefs tried to save Rubiales' public image at the expense of Hermoso.

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