The Swedish women's national team's press conference before the Nations League match against Denmark in Odense was almost over when the news of Rubiales' verdict arrived.
The former chairman of the Spanish Football Association is sentenced for sexual assault, with a fine equivalent to 120,000 kronor and a restraining order.
Peter Gerhardsson was the only one left at the press conference and had to, somewhat unexpectedly, comment on the outcome of the trial against Rubiales.
I have no idea about the sentence, but if it's a trial and he's convicted, then it's right. You have to trust a court, whether it's Swedish or foreign, says Peter Gerhardsson.
Emotionally, the Swedish national team manager also thinks it's right that Rubiales is punished for kissing Spanish national team star Jennifer Hermoso.
"It's about respect"
Somewhere it's good and sets a standard for "this is not how you do it", says Gerhardsson.
It sends good signals, definitely. It's about respect for people.
Denmark's Swedish national team captain Andrée Jeglertz arrived a bit later in the press room, with roughly the same thoughts.
With everything that's happened around this, I think it's very good that it's been brought to the surface and examined, says the Scanian.
"A statement"
Jeglertz also sees it as an important symbolic issue and a positive sign of the times that Luis Rubiales didn't get away with it.
The whole process that's about equal conditions and respect for each other... In Sweden, I think we've come a long way in this, even here in Denmark. But if you look at other countries, there's still an enormous amount of work that needs to be done, says the 53-year-old.
So I definitely think it's a statement for the individual, but also for women's football players. It's important.
