Spain’s Ministry for Social Rights has requested an investigation into possible breaches of disability laws at Barcelona star Lamine Yamal’s 18th birthday party following allegations that individuals with dwarfism were hired as entertainers, according to EFE.
The Ministry wants the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Spanish Ombudsman and the Office for Combating Hate Crimes to probe whether laws which prohibit shows that mock or denigrate people with disabilities were violated at the party.
Yamal turned 18 on July 13 and celebrated by throwing a private party outside of Barcelona last Saturday.
Guests were not allowed to film on their phones at the event, but videos later surfaced on social media of people with dwarfism appearing to arrive at the location where the party was being held.
On Sunday, following the emergence of the images, the Association for People with Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias with Dwarfism (ADEE) in Spain condemned “the hiring of individuals with dwarfism as entertainers.”
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In a statement, the ADEE said the act “violates current laws and fundamental ethical values” and that they would take “legal and social action to protect the dignity of people with disabilities.”
One of the performers, opting to remain anonymous, defended their right to work as entertainers and said they were treated with respect at the party.
“No one disrespected us, we were allowed to work in peace,” they told RAC1 in an interview in Catalan. “I don’t understand why it’s become such a big deal. We’re normal people who dedicate ourselves to what we love doing in an absolutely legal way.
“For a couple of years these people [the ADEE] have wanted to harm us, the want to prevent us from doing what we like, but they have not offered any work or training to those who are affected.
“We work as entertainers. Why can’t we do what we do? We dance, we do magic, there are all types of shows. We were treated like anyone else [at the party]everyone had a good time.
“All this fuss has come about purely because it was Lamine Yamal’s party.”
Yamal returned to preseason training with Barça on Sunday, the day after the party, after around a month off following the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
The Spain international helped Barça win LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Supercopa last year and has already made over 100 appearances for the Catalan club, scoring 25 goals.
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