FIFA said Monday it had imposed a three-year ban on former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales following his forced kiss on the lips of World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso.
“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,” world football’s governing body said in a statement.
Background:
Luis Rubiales was the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) from 2018 to 2023. In August 2023, he was forced to resign after a video of him forcibly kissing Spanish women’s national team player Jenni Hermoso on the lips went viral.
Hermoso said that she had not consented to the kiss, and that she felt “violated” by Rubiales’ actions. Rubiales initially denied any wrongdoing, but later apologized to Hermoso and said that he had “misjudged the situation.”
The video of the kiss sparked widespread outrage in Spain, and Rubiales was widely condemned for his behavior. He was also criticized by FIFA, which said that his actions were “unacceptable” and “in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics.”
FIFA’s ban:
On Monday, FIFA announced that it had imposed a three-year ban on Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international levels. The ban means that Rubiales cannot hold any position in football, and cannot participate in any football-related activities, such as coaching, refereeing, or playing.
FIFA said that the ban was imposed on Rubiales for his “abusive conduct” towards Hermoso, and for his “violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics.”
Impact of the ban:
The three-year ban is a significant blow to Rubiales, who has been involved in football for over 30 years. It also sends a strong message from FIFA that it will not tolerate abusive behavior towards women in football.
The ban is also a reminder to all football officials that they are expected to uphold high standards of conduct. Any official who is found to have violated the FIFA Code of Ethics can face serious consequences, including a ban from football.
