Trial of Ex-Soccer Chief Luis Rubiales Highlights Gender Issues in Spanish Sports

The trial of ex-soccer head Luis Rubiales has ignited a global conversation on sexual assault and sexism in sports as Jennifer Hermoso shares her disturbing experience, stressing the kiss was not consensual.

As the trial of Luis Rubiales, the former president of Spain's soccer federation, commenced on Monday, star player Jennifer Hermoso took to the stand to testify about the traumatic aftermath of an incident that followed Spain's victory at the 2023 Women's World Cup. Hermoso, who faced Rubiales after he forcibly kissed her during the post-match celebrations, expressed how the encounter "ruined one of the happiest days of my life."

During her testimony outside a Madrid court, Hermoso described in distressing detail the emotional turmoil caused by the kiss, which sparked a national outcry and brought to light the pervasive sexism within the sport. "I felt disrespected," she stated, reiterating her view that the act was unexpected and unwanted. Following the incident, Hermoso was subjected to a coercive campaign led by Rubiales and other soccer officials, pushing her to publicly support his actions amid a fervent backlash on social media.

With Rubiales facing charges of sexual assault and coercion, he risks a potential prison sentence of two and a half years if convicted. Alongside him, three other former soccer officials, including the team's coach Jorge Vilda, are also implicated and stand accused of coercive practices, with each possibly facing an 18-month sentence. Hermoso's contention that the kiss was non-consensual stands in stark contrast to Rubiales’ claims, further complicating what has become a pivotal case in Spain’s broader reckoning with issues of gender equality and harassment in sports.

"I couldn’t react — it was a thousandth of a second," Hermoso noted, vividly capturing the moment of shock that defined her experience and the subsequent fallout that has resonated well beyond the soccer pitch. As the trial unfolds, it is clear that this case represents far more than a personal grievance; it serves as a critical chapter in the ongoing narrative surrounding women's rights and accountability in sports.