FIFA Slaps Luis Rubiales with 3-Year Ban After Kissing Jennifer Hermoso

In a significant decision, FIFA, the global governing body of soccer, has banned Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish soccer federation, for a period of three years, AP reports.

This action comes as a response to Rubiales' controversial conduct during the Women's World Cup final trophy ceremony in Australia on August 20, which included an unwanted kiss planted on a star player's lips.

Luis Rubiales' behavior not only drew widespread condemnation but also initiated a players' rebellion and prompted discussions on gender-related issues.

The incident took attention away from the historic Women's World Cup victory achieved by the Spanish national team.

As a result of this ban, Rubiales is prohibited from engaging in any soccer-related activities at both national and international levels.

However, this ban is subject to a possible appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee, according to FIFA.

Luis Rubiales Resigns

In the aftermath of the scandal, Spanish authorities have launched a criminal investigation against Rubiales, considering his actions both during the kiss incident with player Jenni Hermoso and his behavior during the ensuing fallout.

Rubiales' actions sparked a crisis in Spanish soccer, leading to his resignation as the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, per CNN.

Luis Rubiales has taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to announce his intention to appeal FIFA's decision.

In his statement, he expressed the desire for justice to prevail and for the truth to come to light.

In the wake of this controversy, World Cup-winning manager Jorge Vilda was dismissed from his position, and Montse Tomé was appointed as his successor, marking the first time a woman has held this role in Spain.

During the initial fallout from the incident, Rubiales had claimed that the kiss was "mutual," a statement contradicted by Hermoso, who stated that she did not give her consent and felt disrespected.

Luis Rubiales Woes

Apart from the unwanted kiss, there were additional incidents that FIFA cited during their investigation into Rubiales' actions, Yahoo! News noted.

One such incident involved him making an inappropriate gesture at the final whistle during the Women's World Cup final while he was seated in an exclusive section of seats near Queen Letizia of Spain and Princess Sofía.

Another incident involved him carrying a Spanish player, Athenea del Castillo, over his shoulder during post-match celebrations.

These incidents have drawn attention to broader issues in women's soccer, including allegations of sexual misconduct by male soccer officials and coaches against female players on national teams.

Even prior to the Women's World Cup, Rubiales had faced unproven allegations of a sexual nature related to his managerial culture at the national federation.

In his resignation statement, Rubiales acknowledged the difficulties he faced and mentioned that he could not return to his position, particularly after his suspension by FIFA and the mounting cases against him.

He also stepped down from his vice presidency of the European soccer body UEFA.

This move was seen in the context of Spain's bid to host the men's 2030 World Cup, backed by UEFA and involving Portugal and Morocco.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Luis Rubiales banned by Fifa for three years after Jenni Hermoso kiss - From BBC News