The Spanish High Court has ruled that Luis Rubiales, the former head of Spain’s football federation, was guilty of sexual assault for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent and was fined €10,800 (£8,942).

He was found not guilty of coercion.

Rubiales took Hermoso by the head and planted a kiss on her as Spain’s players accepted their medals following their 2023 World Cup victory over England in Sydney.

The incident led to protests and calls for Rubiales’ resignation.

The ruling also barred Rubiales from communicating with Hermoso for a year and from going within 200 meters of her, the court said.

The prosecution had threatened to put Rubiales in jail after he told a judge last week that he was “absolutely sure” Hermoso had given her consent before kissing her.

At the time, he described the kiss as “something completely spontaneous” and referred to it as a “act of affection”.

Hermoso insisted that she had not given Rubiales permission and that the incident had “stained one of the happiest days of my life” during her testimony earlier this month.

Rubiales was accused of trying to coerce Hermoso into acknowledging that the kiss was consensual in addition to sexual assault.

A full stadium and millions of television viewers witnessed the incident after the Spanish women’s team won the 2023 World Cup.

The ensuing clamor sparked a “Me Too” movement in the Spanish women’s game, where players sought to end sexism and achieve equality with their male counterparts.

Following an investigation by Spanish prosecutors and a FIFA suspension, Rubiales resigned in September 2023 after weeks of refusing to resign.