'Fighting for change' - what next for Spain & Rubiales after trial?

BBC News

20-02-2025

A total of 550 days after a kiss that shook Spanish and global football, Luis Rubiales has been found guilty of sexual assault.On Thursday, Spain's High Court found that the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) kissed Jenni Hermoso without consent during the medal ceremony after Spain won the Women's World Cup in August 2023.Rubiales, who has always maintained the kiss was consensual, was fined €10,800 (£8,942). He was also banned from going within a 200m radius of Hermoso and from communicating with her for one year. Rubiales was acquitted of coercion - for allegedly trying to pressure Hermoso into saying publicly that the kiss was consensual.BBC Sport explores the key issues in one of the darkest chapters in the history of women's sport.
How did we get here?
Rubiales kissing one of the biggest stars in women's football and the fallout that followed was the culmination of years of discontent behind the scenes.Jorge Vilda, Spain's coach at the World Cup, was only the second person to manage La Roja since 1988.His predecessor, Ignacio Quereda, was in post for nearly 27 years and was sacked only when his entire squad called for his dismissal after their poor performance at the 2015 World Cup. Several players had reportedly refused to play for the national team while he was in charge.In September 2022, less than a year before their World Cup win, Spain's players led a 'revolt'. The RFEF released a statement stating 15 players had submitted identical emails saying they would not play for Vilda unless "significant" concerns over their "emotional state" and "health" were addressed.'Las 15' - as the players became known - denied claims they had asked for Vilda to be sacked, but tension followed amid reports of concern over training methods and inadequate game preparation.Only three of 'Las 15' were in the Spain squad for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.Spain defied the odds to win the competition for the first time in their history - but then came the kiss.
'Players went through an ordeal'
In her testimony earlier this month, Hermoso said the incident had "stained one of the happiest days of my life".Speaking shortly before the verdict was announced, England and Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze, who played in the 2023 World Cup final, praised the bravery of Hermoso and her Spain team-mates."I am good friends with a lot of the players involved around it. It's been incredible that these players have had to go through that," Bronze said during an England news conference."Not only winning the World Cup and the media on the outside of it, but they are in the court case and speaking out. It's incredibly brave of all the individuals and the team collectively. "They are fighting for change, not just in that court case but in their federation. I have been there last season at Barcelona - watching players go through the ordeal after the World Cup was challenging."They are incredible people and unbelievable players as well. We stand by the Spanish players and we wish them the best."
'Society is polarised - and trial reflected that'
The phrase 'se acaba' - 'it's over' - became the rallying call in Spain in the hours and days after the incident.The Spanish government, Fifa, the United Nations and countless players and clubs condemned Rubiales' behaviour.Eighty one Spain players - including all 23 World Cup winners - said they would not play for the team again while Rubiales remained in charge, while most of Vilda's coaching staff resigned in protest against the president.Rubiales initially claimed he was the victim of a "social assassination" and vowed not to resign. He ultimately stepped down nearly three weeks after the incident.The kiss had become a landmark moment in Spanish history well before Rubiales' trial began on 3 February."The trial was broadcast on YouTube. The verdict is something that everyone is waiting for," David Menayo Ramos, a journalist at Marca, told BBC Sport before the verdict was announced."Society is polarised and the trial is a reflection of that.""This whole controversy went beyond football and beyond sport," added BBC News journalist Guy Hedgecoe."In a way, it was Spain's 'me too' movement, causing people to look at a relationship between women and men in the workplace."
What next for Rubiales?
Rubiales has said he will appeal against the verdict.The court said prosecutors had requested a custodial sentence of two and a half years for Rubiales - one year for the kiss and 18 months for coercion."He is not going to prison but he has always insisted he did nothing wrong," Hedgecoe added."During the trial he said maybe he got a little bit carried away during the medal ceremony and he wasn't behaving in the way he should have done as an institutional figure, but he said there is a big difference between that and committing a crime."Spain play Belgium in Valencia on Friday (kick-off 17:45 GMT) in their Women's Nations League opener. Head coach Montse Tome and captain Irene Paredes will speak to the media in a pre-match news conference at 18:30 GMT on Thursday.England then host Spain at Wembley on Wednesday, 26 February (kick-off 20:00 GMT) as the sides meet for the first time since the 2023 World Cup final.