Luis Rubiales Loses Appeal As FIFA Upholds Three-year Ban Over Jenni Hermoso Kiss Scandal | Football/Soccer

Former Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales has lost his appeal against a three-year ban from football, FIFA announced.

Rubiales was given a suspension after he kissed Spain star Jenni Hermoso without her consent following their World Cup final win against England last summer. Rubiales has maintained his innocence and appealed against the ban, but FIFA has turned him down.

A statement from the governing body read: “Amongst other considerations, the appeal committee was comfortably satisfied that Mr Rubiales behaved in a manner contrary to the principles enshrined under article 13 of the FIFA disciplinary code during and after the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.”

As well as his exile from football, Rubiales faces a possible prison sentence for his actions as a judge in Spain has proposed he be put on trial for sexual assault. The 46-year-old recently launched a new attack against Hermoso over the incident, saying: “She knows that she is lying, I know it and my daughters who accompanied me know it and they heard Jenni say: ‘Leave me alone, he is a friend, it has been a pain.'”

After seeing his appeal turned down, Rubiales will have to wait to find out if he will be taken to court over the issue. The former UEFA vice-president will hope to avoid a prison sentence, with the offence carrying a length of up to four years if found guilty.