The battle for women’sequalityis the oldest one in history as it has been going on for ages and women are still struggling. It’s quite horrifying to think that men in power can still easily maim one of the happiest days in a woman’s life and brush it off as a “spontaneous” thing.
Former coach and football player Luis Rubiales stirred up the whole nation when he impermissibly kissed Spanish forward Jenni Hermoso while celebrating Spain’s victory over England in 2023. However, after 550 days, justice was finally served as the Spanish High Court found him guilty and hit him with a fine of over€10,000!
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Spain had just won the FIFA Women’s 2023 World Cup against England when the team’s coach Luis Rubiales kissed Jenni Hermoso after the victory
Image credits:IMAGO / Sports Press Photo
For those who are unaware,Jenni Hermosois a Spanish football player who has played for some of the most legendary football clubs in Europe like Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Paris Saint Germain. Currently, she plays as a forward for the Liga MX Femenil clubTigres UANLand the Spanish national team.
She also holds the record for the most Pichichi trophies in women’sfootballhistory and is also the all-time top scorer for Spain with 57 goals. In the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, she was awarded the Silver Ball, which acknowledged her as the second-best player of the cup. Sadly, it was this very World Cup that turned out to be quite dark for Jenni.
Image credits:ZUMAPRESS.com / Scanpix
Spain earned a phenomenal victory over England in the World Cup and the whole team was jubilant with their glory. The team’scoachat the time was Luis Rubiales, former footballer and Royal Spanish Football Federation president and also one of UEFA’s vice presidents. When the players were being awarded the medals, he initially hugged Hermoso and then grabbed her face in his hands andkissedher.
This action sparkedoutragethroughout the Spanish nation and slowly all over the world as female players began opening up about what they have experienced in sports. Protests began in Spain, where the phrase “se acabo” (meaning: it’s over) echoed through the Spanish streets and many players spoke in support of Jenni while condemning Rubiales.
Image credits:Jeffrey F Lin / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
After 550 days, the Spanish High Court declared Rubiales guilty of impermissibly kissing Hermoso and fined him over€10,000
FIFA suspended Rubiales and he was also made to resign as a coach as all the players of the team refused to play if he remained in charge. When the trials began, Rubiales told thecourtthat hewas absolutely sure that she gave him her permission and in that moment it was something completely spontaneous.
Rubiales refused to budge from his statement while he was also accused of trying to coerce her into admitting that it was a consensual act. However, the judge found him guilty, stating that, “This action of kissing a woman on the lips has a clear lustful connotation and is not the way people greet those with whom they are not in an emotional relationship.”
Image credits:Mario Klassen / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
The Spanish High Court found him guilty and hit him with a fine of over €10,000, but he was cleared of the coercion charges. Rubiales mentioned that he was going to appeal against the verdict. After the verdict, Irene Paredes, the Spanish captain who stood in support of Hermoso, gave astatement: “What I find somehow striking and strange is that there is no conviction for coercion.”
Spanish football journalistGuillem Balaguecommented, “Such a conviction seemed unimaginable until four or five years ago. For that, we must thank Jenni and her teammates, who got the biggest sporting moment of their careers stolen from them. Something good came out of that sad moment.”
Image credits:Campaign Creators / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Folks online were divided after the verdict as some sided with Rubiales, others with Hermoso
Image credits:www.facebook.com
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