Sports
Jenni Hermoso was not the victim people wanted her to be – we should be grateful to her for that
The important thing about the sentencing of Luis Rubiales is not whether he will go to prison, or how many thousands of euros he will have to pay to compensate Jenni Hermoso, the World Cup-winning footballer he kissed without consent while the world was watching.
The important thing is that it represents an end to the impunity of this powerful man who believed himself to be above the law.
Rubiales’ sentencing provides a reminder that the law is, and should be, the same for everyone.
Many will remember Hermoso for being ‘the one who was kissed’, rather than as the best striker the Spain women’s national team has ever had. As an iconic player who has scored more goals for her country than any other woman in history and who played a vital role off the pitch, too, in transforming women’s football in Spain.
The superstar who, at the age of 33 and towards the end of her career, helped her country win its first Women’s World Cup.
She was humiliated in front of the watching world by Rubiales when the former head of the Spain Football Federation (RFEF) kissed her after she was handed her World Cup winner’s medal on August 20, 2023. She will have to live with that forever.
“Since that day, my life has been on standby,” Hermoso said during her testimony in Rubiales’ trial at Spain’s High Court in Madrid in early February.
Rubiales denied her the best day of her life and took away her freedom.
Hermoso, flanked by team-mates Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes, lifts the World Cup (Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)
The trial lasted two weeks. The judge delivered his verdict in less than one.
Rubiales, 47, was found guilty of sexual assault but he and the three other co-accused — the former Spain women’s head coach Jorge Vilda, the former Newcastle United forward and ex-RFEF sporting director Albert Luque and former marketing director Ruben Rivera — were acquitted of coercion. The prosecution alleged they had coerced Hermoso to agree with Rubiales’ version of events. They denied any wrongdoing.
In the written reasons for the verdict, the judge gave full credibility to Hermoso’s testimony. The court statement said: “There was no reason or motive for her to be untruthful in her narration of the facts with the sole purpose of harming Rubiales.”
Rubiales has been fined more than €10,000 (£8,289; $11,400) and the ruling from Spain’s High Court bans him from going within 200 metres of Hermoso and communicating with her for one year. He was also ordered to pay a further €3,000 for moral damages and half of Hermoso’s legal costs.
In 2022, legislation was passed in Spain, referred to as the ‘solo si es si’ law (‘only yes means yes’), stating sexual consent must be affirmative by acts that “clearly express the will of the person” and that it cannot be assumed by default or through silence.
The new law no longer distinguishes between ‘abuse’ or ‘sexual assault’, but it does distinguish between a wide range of offences by also establishing that violence or intimidation is not necessary to commit a sexual assault. That means a new range of sentences that now go from four to 12 years, whereas before it was from six to 12.
Although criticised by some as it meant sentences already handed down would be reviewed and reduced, feminist organisations consulted by The Athletic said what the victim often needs was for someone to believe them, rather than a greater or lesser sentence.
The judge’s verdict on Thursday was the equivalent of an “I believe you” to Hermoso — in the most public of settings, and one that will be reported and broadcast across the globe. Rubiales was not sent to prison, but what is important to Hermoso is that she can finally feel like people believe her.
Rubiales outside the court in San Fernando de Henares (Oscar del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images)
The trial leaves us with many things to think about, one being the repeated revictimisation of the victim in court. When cross-examining Hermoso, the defence lawyers focused on the player’s behaviour after Rubiales sexually assaulted her. They wanted the perfect victim, one who refused to celebrate a World Cup because of what had happened. One who couldn’t laugh or who couldn’t party. They wanted a victim who just cried in the corner for something that was not her fault.
In her testimony to the judge on the first day of the trial, Hermoso was impressive. She showed herself to be the strong person anyone who has met her or followed her career knows that she is, and she portrayed an imperfect victim, certainly in the eyes of the defence lawyers. She was a victim who, despite what had happened, could enjoy her professional success — that she and her team-mates had been crowned champions of the world.
Hermoso did not cower in front of her aggressor in court. She had the option of testifying without Rubiales in the courtroom, but she said no. She sat down metres away from her attacker to give her statement and to answer questions from his lawyer, Olga Tubau. She even maintained her concentration and kept her cool on the multiple occasions Rubiales was whispering and commenting while she was talking.
“I don’t have to be crying in a room or throwing myself to the ground when the act happens to imply that I didn’t like it (the kiss),” Hermoso told the court. “At that moment, when I’m celebrating being world champion, drinking alcohol and eating, I’m happy and smiling because it’s the greatest achievement I can get in my life.”
Society often looks for the perfect victim, the one who acts the way everyone wants them to act. The aggressor may make mistakes, they are a human being. But the victim must act like a victim or they will be publicly discredited.
If this trial has taught us that a woman can be sexually assaulted and behave however she wants afterwards and still be considered a victim, then we should be eternally grateful to Jenni Hermoso for that.
The courage she has shown will help those victims who follow.
(Top photo: Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS – Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio were once brothers in arms in the Judgment Day. The two helped the faction run “Monday Night Raw” for several years.
As championships and opportunities came and went, the rift between Balor and Mysterio grew. It came to a head when Balor caused Mysterio to lose the Intercontinental Championship to Penta. Balor leaving the Judgment Day left Mysterio and Liv Morgan as the leaders with JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez sticking around.
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The latter four chose to ride with Mysterio and attacked Balor on one episode of Raw.
The bitter war led to a match Sunday night at WrestleMania 42. To make matters more interesting, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce made the match a street fight hours before the show was set to begin.
Balor had vowed to bring the “Demon” out and he certainly did.
JACOB FATU PUTS DREW MCINTYRE IN THE ‘REAR VIEW’ IN UNSANCTIONED MATCH AT WRESTLEMANIA 42
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Balor made his way to the ring in his “Demon” gear, dripping with red and black paint. Mysterio was in a mask with other Mysterio supporters.
The two then proceeded to beat the crud out of each other.
Mysterio wrapped Balor’s head in between a chair and hit a 619 on him. He tried to pin Balor, but to no avail. At another point, Mysterio tossed Balor through a table set up in the corner.
As many have learned, it’s hard to keep your demons down. Mysterio learned the hard way.
Balor would not give up. Balor clotheslined Mysterio, hit him with a chair multiple times before wrapping his head in between the chair and drop-kicking him into the corner. Balor put Mysterio onto a table and hit the Coup de Grâce for the win.
Dominik Mysterio is introduced before his match against Finn Balor during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Balor excised his own demons, while Mysterio is still haunted.
DENVER — What do you know? The once-stampeding Dodgers have been caged by the Colorado Rockies.
With a 9-6 loss Sunday at Coors Field, the two-time defending World Series champions lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. The Dodgers again couldn’t hold a lead, letting the Rockies tee off for 15 hits.
Nor could the Dodgers keep up offensively at the hitter-friendly park — though they put some pressure on in the ninth inning, when Shohei Ohtani led off with a ground-rule double and the Dodgers scored twice to cut the lead to three runs. Then the new guy, Ryan Ward, made the final out in his big league debut, robbed of a hit and a chance to keep chipping away by a diving Troy Johnston in right field.
Before that, the Rockies — who beat the Dodgers twice in 13 meetings all of last season — chased starter Roki Sasaki from the game in the fifth inning and then ruffled the Dodgers’ relievers. That included closer Edwin Díaz, who came on in the eighth and promptly gave up three singles, a walk and two runs before being pulled with the Dodgers trailing 8-4.
Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki gave up three runs on seven hits in 4-2/3 innings Sunday against the Rockies in Denver.
(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
He and Blake Treinen combined to face eight batters without getting an out.
“They both weren’t sharp,” said manager Dave Roberts, who had theories but not many answers — though he did have real concern, especially about Díaz, who recently had his right knee checked out by the medical staff.
Roberts said the closer wanted to pitch after nine days off, even though it wasn’t a save situation. But his velocity was slightly down (95.4 mph vs. 95.8) and so, “today was a tough evaluation,” the manager said.
“It really was,” Roberts said. “Because, you know, I know what it’s supposed to look like, and when it doesn’t look like that, it gets a little concerning, really.”
And losing for the second time to the Rockies, who are now 9-13? Being in danger of losing their four-game series, after arriving in Denver without having lost to a National League opponent, against a club that hasn’t made the postseason since 2018?
It’s well below the bar the Dodgers have set, and it added a bitter note to Ward’s otherwise sweet debut.
Ward punched a big league clock for the first time wearing No. 67 and cranked his first hit off Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen in the fourth inning, lining a changeup to right field for a single that scored Andy Pages, made it 3-0 and got the 20-some members of Ward’s party up, jumping in place, hugging and high-fiving.
“When I was on first base, I got to see them all jumping around up there,” Ward said. “That was a pretty special moment.”
He also singled in the sixth and swung on the first pitch in his first at-bat, a fly out in the third inning.
The Dodgers gave Sasaki a 2-0 lead in the third. Alex Freeland drove in Hyeseong Kim, and Shohei Ohtani doubled in Freeland — and extended his career-best on-base streak to 51 games, moving past Willie Keeler into third place in Dodgers history.
Sasaki went 4-2/3 innings, threw 78 pitches and gave up three runs on seven hits, striking out two and walking two. His ERA after his fourth start: 6.11, worst in the six-man rotation.
The Dodgers fell behind 6-5 in the seventh when Treinen — who was cleared Friday after he was struck in the head by a batted ball during batting practice — gave up four consecutive hits, including a two-run home run by Mickey Moniak.
The result likely will be a minor detail when Ward tells the story years from now about getting the call after first baseman Freddie Freeman was placed on the paternity list.
The Dodgers’ No. 19 prospect and reigning Pacific Coast League MVP spent the last seven years in the minors. Last season, he hit 36 home runs and drove in 122 runs with a .937 on-base-plus-slugging percentage for triple-A Oklahoma City, and he has a 1.020 OPS and four homers this year.
Ward made it a point to improve his chase rate, draw more walks and get on base more frequently, everything the Dodgers asked of him. He also passed the broadest patience test.
“The plate discipline, being a better hitter … he’s done all that,” Roberts said. “He’s improved his defense. But honestly, for me, just not to let his lack of opportunity in the big leagues deter him. That’s easy when you get frustrated and let it affect performance, and he hasn’t done that.”
If anything, Ward said, the waiting made him better.
“I used it to keep going. ‘OK, if I’m not there yet, what do I have to do to get there?’” he said. “‘What part of my game do I need to work on to keep getting better?’
“I used it as fire to keep working.”
That will be the Dodgers’ assignment too.
In the finale of the four-game series Monday, the Dodgers are expected to start left-hander Justin Wrobleski (2-0, 2.12) against Colorado left-hander Jose Quintana (0-1, 5.63).
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LAS VEGAS – Danhausen’s curse may be real after all – just ask Stephen A. Smith and the New York Mets.
While the latter dropped their 10th game in a row, Smith got his share of the curse on Saturday night during Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Smith was in attendance for WWE’s premier event of the year and heard massive boos from the crowd.
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith was sitting ringside to watch the action. The ESPN star appeared on the videoboard above the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He appeared to embrace the reaction and smiled through it.
The boos came after Danhausen appeared on “First Take” on Friday – much to the chagrin of the sports pundit. Smith appeared perplexed by Danhausen’s appearance. Smith said he heard about Danhausen and called him a “bad luck charm.”
Danhausen said Smith had been “rude” to him and put the dreaded “curse” on the commentator.
WWE STAR DANHAUSEN SAYS METS ‘CURSE’ ISN’T EXACTLY LIFTED AS TEAM DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT GAME
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith is far from the only one dealing with the effects of the “curse.”
Danhausen agreed to “un-curse” the Mets during their losing streak. However, he told Fox News Digital earlier this week that there was a reason why the curse’s removal didn’t take full effect.
“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”
Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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On “Friday Night SmackDown,” WWE stars like The Miz and Kit Wilson were also targets of Danhausen’s curse.
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