Thu Mar 06 13:50:57 UTC 2025: ## Prosecutors Demand Retrial in Rubiales Kiss Case, Accusing Judge of Bias
**Madrid, Spain** – Spanish prosecutors are demanding a retrial in the case of Luis Rubiales, the former head of the Spanish football federation, citing bias from the presiding judge. Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault last month for forcibly kissing footballer Jenni Hermoso after Spain’s World Cup victory, but received only a €10,800 fine and no jail time – a sentence that sparked widespread outrage and prompted this appeal.
The prosecutors’ appeal, filed Thursday, alleges that Judge Jose Manuel Fernandez-Prieto displayed undue bias throughout the proceedings. They claim he improperly restricted the prosecutor from asking key questions and ignored crucial evidence. They describe the sentence as “arbitrary” and allege the judge’s “brusque attitude,” including frequent interruptions and reprimands, created an appearance of bias.
The original sentence fell far short of the prosecutors’ request for two-and-a-half years imprisonment, including charges of sexual assault and coercion. Hermoso herself is also appealing the lenient sentence, which also cleared Rubiales and three other defendants of coercion charges.
The prosecutors’ appeal formally requests that the trial be declared null and void and re-conducted before a different judge, arguing the current judge is unfit to preside due to the perceived bias. The case, which captivated Spain and transformed Hermoso into a symbol of the fight against sexism in sports, continues to generate significant controversy.
First Piper 