Former Spanish football chief Rubiales faces jail term for the infamous "Hermoso kiss"

Luis Rubiales faces sexual assault charges after Women's World Cup incident; prosecutor seeks jail terms.

Luis Rubiales is facing up to two and a half years jail term for his "unsolicited" kiss on the podium of the 2023 Women's World Cup with Jenni Hermoso. (Photo credit: GOAL)

Remember Luis Rubiales? The Spanish football chief, who got an unsolicited kiss on the podium of the 2023 Women's World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, is about to face the music.

Prosecutor Marta Durántez charged Rubiales with one count of sexual assault and one count of coercion for his alleged actions in the aftermath of the kiss, offenses carrying jail terms of one year and one-and-a-half years, respectively.

Luis Rubiales was seen grabbing Spain’s mercurial playmaker Jenni Hermoso on the podium as she stepped up to receive her championship medal following Spain’s Women’s World Cup final triumph over England in August of last year, with the whole world condemning the act of the football chief.

The “forced kiss,” as labeled by the Barcelona Feminine player, has been condemned by an independent court, with Rubiales now facing a jail term of up to two and a half years. The accused maintains that the kiss was consensual, but the player insists she suffered abuse.

The prosecutor also accused the former coach of the women's national team, Jorge Vilda, the team's current sporting director, Albert Luque, and the federation's head of marketing, Rubén Rivera, of coercing Hermoso into saying the kiss was consensual, thereby rubbishing the player’s claim.

The indictment said the three officials harassed Hermoso by exerting "constant and repeated acts of pressure" directly on the player and through her friends and family. They each face 18-month sentences, respectively, as well.

The three people accused have denied any wrongdoing, with Hermoso and the rest of the Spanish female team backing their colleague and demanding full punishment for the four people (Rubiales, Vilda, Luque, and Rivera).

The prosecutor's request for a conviction and sentence does not necessarily require Rubiales to go to prison. Spain's criminal code allows judges to "exceptionally" suspend jail terms if, as in this case, none of the sentences imposed individually exceed two years.