Former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales has had an appeal against his three-year ban from football dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
FIFA handed Rubiales a three-year suspension from all football activity in October 2023 following his conduct at the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney, where he kissed Spain forward Jenni Hermoso at the medal ceremony following their victory.
Rubiales was banned for breaching article 13 of the FIFA disciplinary code and the suspension was upheld by FIFA’s appeals committee in January 2024.
And a statement on Friday from CAS confirmed it had dismissed the 47-year-old’s appeal, ruling that the imposed sanction is “reasonable and proportional”.
“The Court of Arbitration for Sport has dismissed the appeal by Mr Luis Rubiales against FIFA concerning his three-year suspension from any football related activity for having behaved in a manner contrary to the principles of the FIFA disciplinary code,” a CAS statement said.
“The CAS panel ruled that the sanction imposed is reasonable and proportional.
“Mr Rubiales filed an appeal against a decision rendered on 16 January 2024 by the FIFA appeals committee which upheld a three-year ban following behaviour contrary to the FIFA disciplinary code (art.13) at the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023.
“The appeal sought to set the contested decision aside, or in the alternative to set it partially aside and amend the sanction, or in the further alternative, apply any other disciplinary measures.
“The CAS panel determined that the behaviour of Mr Rubiales at the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 constituted multiple and serious violations of the FIFA disciplinary code (art.13) and saw no reason to consider the sanction to be disproportionate. The appeal by Mr Rubiales is dismissed and the contested decision is maintained.”
On Thursday, Rubiales was fined after being found guilty of sexually assaulting Hermoso.
The ruling prohibits him from going within 200 metres of Hermoso or communicating with her for one year.
Rubiales was acquitted of trying to coerce Hermoso into saying the kiss was consensual.
