Spain’s High Court in Madrid on Thursday found former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent following the 2023 Women's World Cup final.

The court fined the 47-year-old Rubiales $10,400, and he was ordered to stay at least 200 meters from Hermoso and refrain from communication with her for at least one year. Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of 2½ years.

Rubiales was cleared of charges of coercion. Prosecutors alleged he and three other male Spanish federation members and former women's team coach Jorge Vilda had pressured Hermoso into supporting Rubiales’ claim that the kiss had been consensual. They all were acquitted.

The two-week trial was carried live on Spanish television and had been highly anticipated.

Rubiales kissed Spanish women’s team member Hermoso on the lips during the awards ceremony in Sydney, Australia, after Spain beat England 1-0 in the Women’s World Cup final in August 2023.

The incident sparked outrage within and outside Spain, marring the victory celebration, with many, including government ministers, players and coaches, demanding his resignation. International football’s governing body, FIFA, opened disciplinary proceedings against him.

Rubiales, who had been football federation chief since 2018, initially dismissed the kiss as a “peck” but gave in to pressure and resigned in September 2023 after an investigation began.

A recent reform of the Spanish penal code classified a nonconsensual kiss as sexual assault.

Following the verdict, Spain's equality minister, Ana Redondo, told the Reuters news service, the court’s decision proves their law is a good one.

“It is a law that protects women against aggression,” Redondo said. “Consent, and this is the important thing, is the cornerstone of every relationship.”

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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