Luis Rubiales, the disgraced former Spanish football boss, will be banned from the game for three years, FIFA announced Friday after rejecting his appeal.
“The Appeal Committee was comfortably satisfied that Mr Rubiales behaved in a manner contrary to the principles enshrined under … the FIFA disciplinary code,” according to a statement released by FIFA.
Rubiales kissed Spain midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips against her will following the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney in August, for which he is scheduled to stand trial in Spain.
Rubiales says the kiss was forced and might yet challenge FIFA’s worldwide ban on “football-related activities” to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
FIFA first suspended the boss before banning him from the sport for three years in October, a decision he later appealed.
Spain defeated England to win the Women’s World Cup for the first time in history, but the victory was marred by Rubiales’ actions and the subsequent fallout.
The 46-year-old refused to quit from his position for three weeks, putting international pressure on him, with several players striking against the Spanish football federation until significant adjustments were made.
The federation dismissed coach Jorge Vilda, who is one of three others accused of coercion for allegedly forcing Hermoso to pretend the kiss was consensual.
A Spanish court proposed Thursday that Rubiales be tried for sexual assault and coercion.
The kiss “was not consensual and was a unilateral and unexpected move” by Rubiales, according to Judge Francisco de Jorge of Spain’s Audiencia Nacional top criminal court.