Former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales has been banned from all football-related activities for three years over his behaviour at the Women’s World Cup final.
Rubiales sparked global outrage when kissing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the trophy celebrations after Spain beat England 1-0 in Sydney.
Hermoso subsequently filed a legal claim against the 46-year-old, who has continued the insist that the kiss was both “mutual” and “consensual”, while the player says it was not.
The scandal overshadowed Spain’s triumph, with the entire squad vowing not to turn out for the national team while Rubiales remained in charge and several members of the coaching staff quit in protest. Almost three weeks of intense criticism following the final, Rubiales finally resigned from his post as the Spanish FA’s president last month.
Fifa initially suspended Rubiales for 90 days pending an investigation, with the global governing body on Monday morning handing down a three-year ban.
A Fifa statement 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.”
Rubiales has ten days to request the written reasons for the sanction and could then decide to launch an appeal. He also remains the subject of a criminal investigation in his homeland.
