Former Spanish soccer boss Luis Rubiales was found guilty Thursday of sexually assaulting player Jenni Hermoso for kissing her after the 2023 Women’s World Cup final, an incident that overshadowed Spain’s first world title in women’s soccer and sparked debate about sexism in the sport.

A judge at Spain’s National Court ordered Rubiales to pay more than 10,000 euros ($10,400) in fines and prohibited him from getting within 200 meters of Hermoso or communicating with her for a year. Prosecutors had asked for a prison sentence.

He was acquitted of a charge of coercion for allegedly trying to make Hermoso downplay the kiss on the lips at the awards ceremony after the final in Sydney.

Spanish media said Rubiales, who resigned from the Spanish soccer federation three weeks after the incident, was expected to appeal the ruling, which was issued as a written statement without a court hearing.

“A kiss without consent is sexual assault,” Spain’s equality minister Ana Redondo said after the verdict. “The words of the victim must be respected.”

The kiss sparked outrage in Spain and marred the celebrations of its first Women’s World Cup trophy.

In her testimony at the trial, Hermoso, 34, said that she felt disrespected and that the kiss “stained one of the happiest days of my life.”

Rubiales, 47, insisted that the kiss was consensual, and his lawyers argued that even if it hadn’t been, it shouldn’t be considered as sexual assault.

Prosecutors had asked for a prison sentence of 2 1/2 years for Rubiales — one year for sexual assault and 1 1/2 years for coercion.

The court acquitted three other former Spanish federation members accused of coercion: former women’s team coach Jorge Vilda, sports director of the men’s team Albert Luque, and head of marketing Ruben Rivera.

Hermoso testified that she was pressured into recording a video with Rubiales to downplay the kiss.

Rubiales and the other defendants said they never tried to pressure Hermoso into anything. They claim she didn’t give any importance to the kiss when it happened.

The scandal ignited a crisis in the women’s squad.Hermoso and teammates refused to play as long as Rubiales was in charge and returned to the team only weeks later when the government mediated a deal with the federation interim president to overhaul its protocols and give more support to its women’s side.

Rubiales initially insisted he had done nothing wrong and said he was the victim of a witch hunt by “false feminists” but resigned after FIFA suspended him and opened a disciplinary case.

NFL

The Chargers signed defensive back Elijah Molden to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced. The team did not disclose terms of the deal, but ESPN reported that it was a three-year, $18.75 million contract with $13.5 million guaranteed.

Molden, the son of former Chargers cornerback Alex Molden, was acquired in a trade with the Tennessee Titans prior to the 2024 season. Molden became a key piece of the Chargers secondary last season, starting 12 games after being acquired in August.

Molden played several spots in the secondary for a defense that led the NFL by allowing just 17.7 points per game. He registered career-highs in tackles (72), interceptions (three), pass breakups (seven) and fumble recoveries (two).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved a raise and contract extension for coach Steve Sarkisian after the Longhorns advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals for the second consecutive season.

The new deal extends Sarkisian’s contract by one year through the 2031 season. It raises his salary this year from $10.4 million to $10.8 million. Annual raises will push his salary to $12.3 million by the final year.

Sarkisian was a quarterback at West Torrance High, El Camino College and BYU before becoming an assistant coach at USC and then head coach with a head coaching stint at Washington in between. He was also the offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama and the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

BOXING

Heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois was undergoing a medical evaluation Thursday, raising doubts about whether he can go ahead with his scheduled IBF title bout against Joseph Parker on Saturday.

Dubois was a no-show at a news conference in the Saudi capital of Ryadh, and promoter Frank Warren said it’s because of a medical exam.

Ring Magazine reported that Congolese heavyweight Martin Bakole had agreed to replace Dubois and fight Parker.

TENNIS

Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz lost for just the second time this year when 25th-ranked Jiri Lehecka beat him 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open in Doha.

Alcaraz’s only other defeat in 2025 was to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open quarterfinals. The 21-year-old Spaniard, ranked No. 3, won the Rotterdam Open earlier this month.

“I’ve talked with my team, with my coach, and honestly I don’t know what I could have done better,” Alcaraz said in a news conference. “Honestly, I don’t know. It was kind of a difficult feelings, I guess. I have to give credit to him as well, because when he was down, especially in the third set, he didn’t give up.”

Alcaraz led 4-2 in the third set and had a break point on Lehecka’s serve, but couldn’t finish off the Czech, who won the next three games to advance to the semifinals.

Fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev saved one match point and needed eight of his own to subdue second-seeded Alex de Minaur 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (8). Rublev reached his fourth semifinals in Doha, where he won the title in 2020.

He’ll next face Canada’s Félix Auger-Aliassime, who beat Daniil Medvedev when the Russian retired after losing the first set 6-3.

No. 2-ranked Iga Swiatek lost to a player younger than 18 for the first time on tour when she was stunned by Mirra Andreeva in the Dubai (UAE) Championships quarterfinals. Andreeva, 17, won 6-3, 6-3 to become the youngest semifinalist in Dubai’s 24-year history.

Swiatek took their only previous match last August in Cincinnati, losing the first set and winning 7-5 in the third. She conceded the first again and was a break up in the second, but Andreeva reeled off the last five games.

It’s her fifth win over a top-10 player and second over a No. 2 — she beat Aryna Sabalenka in the French Open quarterfinals last year.

The Russian teenager will next face sixth-seeded Elena Rybakina, who beat Sofia Kenin 6-2, 7-6 (2) to improve to 3-0 against the American.

Clara Tauson, the Dane who knocked out Sabalenka on Wednesday, defeated Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic 7-6 (4), 6-4 to reach her third semifinals of the year. She will play Karolina Muchova, who eliminated Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 7-5.

FIGURE SKATING

World champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States were one point behind Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada in ice dance at the figure skating Four Continents in Seoul, Korea.

Chock’s and Bates’ energetic rhythm dance routine received 86.21 points.

But defending champions Gilles and Poirier, the last skaters to take the ice, scored 87.22 for their upbeat routine to a medley of surf music.

The Americans are using the Four Continents to prepare for the world championships in Boston from March 25-30.

The ice dance wraps up on Saturday with the free dance.

The men’s short program was topped by Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan. His 94.73 points gave him a comfortable lead over Jimmy Ma of the United States, who was second with 82.52.

In the pairs short program, 2023 world and Four Continents champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan were first with 74.73.

Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea of the United States finished second with 70.32.

WNBA

Katie Lou Samuelson is headed back to the Seattle Storm, her agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, said.

Samuelson, a Mater Dei High product who played with the Storm in 2021, agreed to a one-year deal with Seattle. She mutually parted ways with the Indiana Fever earlier this month. Samuelson missed the 2023 season due to maternity leave after giving birth to daughter Aliya and returned last year, appearing in 37 games for the Fever while averaging 4.3 points.

Samuelson signed a two-year, $355,000 deal with the Fever ahead of last season and earned $175,000 in 2024, according to the website Her Hoops Stats. Her Fever contract was protected so Indiana offered her a buyout. The terms of her contract with Seattle were not disclosed.

The 27-year-old wing started 24 games for Seattle, averaging 7.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists that season.

DEATHS

Mabel Staton, the Black track and field standout who broke through racial barriers and became the only woman to compete for the United States in the long jump at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, died Thursday. She was 92.