LAUSANNE: The highest court in global sport dismissed an appeal by former Spanish football head Luis Rubiales on Friday after he was banned from any football-related activity for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent at the 2023 women’s World Cup final.

World football governing body FIFA had banned Rubiales in October 2023 for three years and an appeals committee had also dismissed his appeal in January last year. The 47-year-old had the option to appeal the decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

However, a CAS panel determined that his behaviour at the presentation ceremony

“constituted multiple and serious violations of the FIFA Disciplinary Code”, adding that it saw no reason to consider the sanction to be disproportionate.

“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,” CAS said in a statement.

“The appeal by Mr Rubiales is dismissed and the contested decision is maintained.”

On Thursday, Spain’s High Court found Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso without her consent and fined him more than 10,000 euros ($10,454).

The ruling also banned Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), from going within a 200-metre radius of Hermoso.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2025