FORMER Spanish football federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales has vowed to appeal after FIFA handed him a three-year ban from the sport for his forced kiss on national team player Jennifer Hermoso.
FIFA imposed the long ban today after initially suspending Rubiales for 90 days following his unsolicited kiss during the medal ceremony after Spain won the Women’s World Cup in Sydney, Australia on August 20.
FIFA said Rubiales had broken its code of conduct and would now be banned from all football activities for three years.
Rubiales, who has never admitted any guilt in the matter, responded by stating that he will appeal against the ban.
“I am announcing as of now that I will be appealing,” Rubiales wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“I will go as far as taking the case to the highest court to ensure that justice is done and that the truth comes out,” he added in a post which also included a ‘flexed biceps’ emoji.
The incident caused worldwide outrage and eventually led to Rubiales’ ouster from RFEF after he insisted that he had done nothing wrong and clung on to his position.
Hermoso said the incident left her feeling ‘vulnerable and like the victim of an assault’ and described it as ‘an impulsive, macho act, out of place and with no type of consent on my part’.
“The FIFA disciplinary committee has banned Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Association (RFEF), from all football-related activities at national and international levels for three years,” the world football governing body said in a statement today.
FIFA said Rubiales had been notified of the decision today and had 10 days to appeal.
“The decision remains subject to a possible appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee,” the statement noted.
“FIFA reiterates its absolute commitment to respecting and protecting the integrity of all people and ensuring that the basic rules of decent conduct are upheld.”
