On October 30, FIFA banned Mr. Luis Rubiales from participating in football activities in and outside Spain at all levels after the forced kiss of female player Jenni Hermoso.
FIFA announced that Rubiales had been fined for his actions on stage at the awards ceremony after the 2023 Women's World Cup final on August 20, which violated Article 13 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. FIFA did not release details of the judges' decision on the disciplinary panel. Rubiales' three-year ban will last through the 2026 Men's World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA said the former RFEF president has 10 days to file an appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee. Rubiales can ask FIFA for details of the disciplinary decision within 10 days and then file an appeal. He can also appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Rubiales appeared at the Spanish national court in Madrid on September 15. Photo: AP
The controversy surrounding the Spanish women's team arose after Rubiales made a series of controversial gestures after the 2023 Women's World Cup final. Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips and later claimed it was consensual, a move the player has repeatedly denied. The former RFEF president also grabbed her groin while celebrating Spain's victory over England and carried Athenea del Castillo on his shoulders during the post-match celebrations.
Rubiales initially refused to apologize, determined to remain president, but resigned on September 10. He also had to give up his position as UEFA vice president, which earned him $265,000 a year. FIFA then suspended Rubiales for 90 days while the investigation was conducted, and Hermoso also filed a complaint with the national prosecutor's office. Her complaint was forwarded to Spain's Supreme Court. Rubiales is still under criminal investigation in Spain, and he denies any wrongdoing.
The RFEF initially backed Rubiales, but under pressure, the organization appointed interim president Pedro Rocha, who later declared Rubiales' actions "shameful." On September 5, the RFEF fired coach Jorge Vilda, who had led Spain to its first Women's World Cup title.
On September 15, the Spanish Supreme Court ordered former President Rubiales to stay at least 200 meters away from Hermoso. But the court rejected the prosecutor's request to freeze Rubiales' assets and ordered the former RFEF president to appear before the court every 15 days.
The Spanish women's national team boycotted the federation after the incident, and only agreed to return to play when the organization "gave in", accepted and began reforming according to their demands on September 20. Hermoso also returned to the team at the end of October's training camp for matches against Italy on October 27 and Switzerland on October 31.
Rubiales is a former player, who grew up in the Atletico youth academy, and won the Spanish Second Division with Levante in 2004 and played in La Liga.
After retiring in 2009, Rubiales was elected President of the Spanish Footballers' Association and then elected President of the RFEF in May 2018. One of Rubiales' first major decisions was to fire coach Julen Lopetegui just before Spain's 2018 World Cup, after the coach secretly agreed to take over at Real Madrid.
Duy Hong (according to AP )
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