Former Spanish Football Association president Luis Rubiales has been banned from all football-related activities for three years.
Rubiales kissed forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain’s Women’s World Cup final win over England.
He was provisionally banned by Fifa but initially refused to resign, before eventually stepping down in September.
On Monday, Fifa announced the three-year ban for breaching Article 13 of its disciplinary code.
Rubiales, 46, claimed the kiss at the post-match presentation ceremony was “mutual” and “consensual” but Hermoso said it was not consensual, and filed a legal complaint.
The incident overshadowed Spain’s historic victory in Sydney, Australia.
World governing body Fifa confirmed the case concerned 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”.
It added: “In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Fifa disciplinary code, he has 10 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.”
Last month, a hearing at the national court in Madrid considered a criminal complaint of sexual assault and coercion against Rubiales, who was subsequently banned from going within 200m of Hermoso.
More to follow…
Source: BBC
