Disgraced Spain football boss cops three-year FIFA ban over World Cup kiss assault

FIFA on Monday imposed a three-year ban on former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales after his forced kiss on the lips of World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso shocked the world of football.

The sport’s governing body provisionally suspended Rubiales for 90 days following his unsolicited kiss during the medal ceremony after Spain won the Women’s World Cup in Sydney 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 responded by announcing 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.

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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”.

Rubiales, who repeatedly insisted the kiss was consensual, resigned as head of the Spanish football federation in September.

“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