CAS Upholds FIFA's Three-Year Ban on Luis Rubiales

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed former Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales' appeal against a three-year FIFA ban for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without consent during the 2023 Women's World Cup final. The CAS ruled that Rubiales' actions constituted serious violations of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, thus deeming the punishment appropriate. Rubiales had previously appealed to FIFA's committee, which upheld the ban in January 2024. In a parallel legal development, Spain's High Court found him guilty of sexual assault, imposing a fine exceeding €10,000 and barring him from approaching Hermoso within 200 meters. Despite his insistence that the kiss was consensual, both he and Hermoso are reportedly appealing aspects of the court's decisions. The case has highlighted issues surrounding consent and accountability in sports.