Spanish prosecutors on Thursday called for the retrial of former football federation chief Luis Rubiales over his alleged forced kiss on footballer Jenni Hermoso, citing judicial bias in the last trial.
Spain’s top criminal court had, on February 20, found Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso without her consent as Hermoso received her medal after Spain’s victory in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.
He was fined £10,800 ($11,370) but avoided jail time, a verdict criticised as being too lenient by feminist groups.
Prosecutors had originally sought a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence: one year for sexual assault and 18 months for allegedly coercing Hermoso into downplaying the incident.
However, the court acquitted Rubiales and three other defendants of coercion, prompting Hermoso to appeal the ruling.
In their appeal, prosecutors argued that the trial should be annulled and retried under a different judge, claiming Judge Jose Manuel Fernandez-Prieto displayed partiality in the case.
They accused him of preventing the prosecutor, Marta Durantez, from asking key questions and disregarding crucial evidence.
They also criticised the Judge’s “brusque” conduct during the trial, where he frequently interrupted and scolded participants.
During the last trial, Hermoso, 34, said she felt “disrespected” by Rubiales, adding that such behavior was unacceptable in any professional or social setting.
She denied granting Rubiales permission and said that the incident had “stained one of the happiest days of my life”.
In his defense, Rubiales, 47, maintained in court that the kiss was consensual and denied any attempt to pressure Hermoso afterward. He admitted he “made a mistake” by not behaving more formally but insisted he had committed no crime.
His statement in court was in sharp contrast to his initial response to the scandal. In August 2023, he dismissed criticism to his actions, refused to resign, and condemned what he called “false feminism put forward against him.
However, following FIFA’s suspension and a legal investigation, he was forced to step down in September 2023.
Rubiales was banned from all football-related activities for three years by FIFA and will continue to serve that suspension.
Hermoso, Spain’s all-time leading goal scorer, now plays for Tigres in Mexico.
After the World Cup, she was left out of Spain’s national team squad, though new coach Montse Tomé claimed it was to “protect” her rather than as “punishment.”
The case has since become a landmark moment in the fight against sexism in sports, with Hermoso emerging as a symbol of resistance against gender-based discrimination.
