Rubiales FIFA suspension confirmed: how long has he been banned for?

Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), has been banned from all soccer-related activities for three years for kissing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso without her consent after the Women’s World Cup final.

Rubiales broke FIFA Disciplinary Code, body says

In a statement issued on Monday, FIFA said its disciplinary committee had found that Rubiales had broken article 13 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

“FIFA reiterates its absolute commitment to respecting and protecting the integrity of all people and ensuring that the basic rules of decent conduct are upheld,” world soccer’s governing body added.

Rubiales, who resigned as RFEF chief in September, had already been provisionally suspended by FIFA over his actions in the aftermath of Spain’s World Cup final victory over England in August.

The 46-year-old, who was in charge at the RFEF for five and a half years, having first been elected as president in May 2018, also resigned as a vice-president at UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, in September.

FIFA decision subject to potential appeal

Rubiales can challenge his three-year ban before FIFA’s appeal committee.

If he chooses not to - or if the suspension is upheld - he will be ineligible to run for the RFEF presidency again. Earlier in October, Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD) approved a rule change that bans any individual from seeking the position if they have received a punishment from a judicial or sporting authority.

What does the FIFA Disciplinary Code say?

According to article 13 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, “Associations and clubs, as well as their players, officials and any other member and/or person carrying out a function on their behalf, must respect the Laws of the Game, as well as the FIFA Statutes and FIFA’s regulations, directives, guidelines, circulars and decisions, and comply with the principles of fair play, loyalty and integrity.

“For example, anyone who acts in any of the following ways may be subject to disciplinary measures: a) violating the basic rules of decent conduct; b) insulting a natural or legal person in any way, especially by using offensive gestures, signs or language; c) using a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature; d) behaving in a way that brings the sport of football and/or FIFA into disrepute; e) actively altering the age of players shown on the identity cards they produce at competitions that are subject to age limits.”