Zurich: Former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales has been handed a three-year ban by FIFA for a forced kiss on World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso.
This decision comes after FIFA provisionally suspended Rubiales for 90 days in response to the unsolicited kiss that took place during the medal ceremony after Spain's victory in the Women's World Cup in Sydney in August.
World football's governing body has now extended the ban to three years, prohibiting Rubiales from any football-related activities at both national and international levels.
Jenni Hermoso, the player on the receiving end of the kiss, expressed that the incident left her feeling "vulnerable and like the victim of an assault." She described the act in a statement on social media as "an impulsive, macho act, out of place and with no type of consent on my part."
Rubiales had repeatedly claimed that the kiss was consensual but resigned as the head of the Spanish football federation in September.
In its statement, FIFA said, "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 levels for three years."
The decision was communicated to Rubiales on Monday, and he has a 10-day window to request a "motivated decision," which would be published on FIFA's legal website if requested. FIFA also noted that the decision could be subject to appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee, reported AFP.
FIFA emphasised its unwavering commitment to respecting and protecting the integrity of all individuals and ensuring that the fundamental principles of decent conduct are upheld.