Spanish prosecutors are now requesting a 2 1/2-year prison sentence for Luis Rubiales, the former president of Spain’s soccer federation, for kissing one of the female players on the lips after their World Cup win.
What happened? Following the women’s World Cup win over England, Rubiales kissed midfielder Jennifer Hermoso on the lips. Hermoso says she did not give permission for him to kiss her and felt violated by the act.
Timeline of controversy following Spain’s World Cup win
Here’s a timeline of what happened.
- Aug. 20, 2023: Spain clinches victory 1-0 over England to secure World Cup title.
- Aug. 20, 2023, postgame: A medal ceremony begins with each of the champions moving through a procession to receive congratulations from the president of FIFA, the Spanish royals, other dignitaries and soccer federation executives, including Rubiales.
- Aug. 20, 2023, postgame: According to CNN, “Rubiales puts his hands on the back of Hermoso’s head. He kisses her on the lips, then slaps her twice on the back.”
- Aug. 20, 2023, postgame: Hermoso was captured in a video, per The New York Times, shortly after the game, saying, “Hey, but I didn’t like that!”
- Aug. 20, 2023, postgame: Rubiales was also captured on video grabbing “his crotch in a victory gesture” during the awards ceremony, feet away from the queen of Spain, The Associated Press reported.
- Aug. 21, 2023: Rubiales offers “a tepid apology,” sharing differing accounts of the incident, saying that Hermoso “lifted him off his feet and ‘moved me close to her body,’” per the Times.
- The week following the incident: Video of what happened spreads across the country, and soccer players, fans, politicians and residents react with disgust to what happened and the reaction to it.
- Aug. 24, 2023: FIFA announces it initiated disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales, The Washington Post reported.
- Aug. 25, 2023: Rubiales calls an emergency meeting with the Spanish soccer federation saying he would not be resigning and defends his actions, saying the kiss was “spontaneous, mutual, euphoric and (done) with consent,” per CNN.
- Aug. 25, 2023: Hermoso releases a statement through her union, saying, “At no time did I consent to the kiss that he gave me,” per the Times.
- Aug. 25, 2023: Multiple players from the World Cup team, as well as from the men’s national team, said they would not be playing until action was taken over the incident.
- Aug. 28, 2023: Spanish prosecutors announce they have opened an investigation into Rubiales.
- March 28, 2024: Spanish prosecutors are now seeking prison time for Rubiales — two years and six months. They’re also requesting “a supervised release for two years, a ban on communicating with Hermoso or coming within 200 meters of her for four years — as well as $54,100 in compensation,” CNN reported. Former women’s coach Jorge Vilda, Spanish national team director Albert Luque and RFEF marketing director Rubén Rivera have also received requests to compensate Hermoso an additional $54,100.
What people said about the World Cup scandal
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Here’s what players from the team, men’s team and politicians are saying following the controversy:
- Forward for Spain’s men’s national team Borja Iglesias tweeted that he was “sad and disappointed” and would not be playing “until things change.”
- 2010 World Cup winner Andrés Iniesta said, “We have had to bear this president who clung to power, didn’t admit that his behavior had been unacceptable and was damaging the image of our country and our soccer before the world,” per AP.
- The only individual to express public support for Rubiales so far, according to AP, has been from Vilda, men’s coach Luis de la Fuente and a smattering of other federation officials who applauded loudly during the general assembly when Rubiales said he would not resign over the scandal.
- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the apology from Rubiales was “unacceptable” and “not enough,” per CNN.