Spain's Ex-Soccer Chief Rubiales to Stand Trial for Kissing Player
Spain's Ex-Soccer Chief Rubiales to Stand Trial for Kissing Player
The Facts
Spain’s former soccer chief, Luis Rubiales, is set to stand trial for forcibly kissing Jennifer Hermoso at the Women’s World Cup medal ceremony in August 2023.
In October, Rubiales was banned from national and international soccer activities for three years, after he was found to have violated FIFA's disciplinary code.
The Spin
While Rubiales' kiss was certainly inappropriate, he is far from a criminal. A potential 2 and a half years in prison is a ridiculously disproportionate response for a kiss. In the era of #MeToo, punishing Rubiales so harshly for a mild offense may have the unintended reaction of validating those who feel the movement has gone too far and risk undermining the country's progress in women's rights.
This case was a must needed reckoning for the reality of sexism and women's rights in Spain. Sexual harassment like this one unfortunately happen far too often. Rubiales must face the consequences of his actions, and hopefully this can serve as a lesson for men in the future that un-consensual acts like this are not just unwanted, they are criminal.
