In recent developments, Spanish football sensation Lamine Yamal has come under scrutiny after allegations emerged concerning his 18th birthday celebration. The controversy centers on claims that people with dwarfism were hired to perform as entertainers during the party.
Yamal’s birthday party took place in Olivella, a town roughly 50 km from Barcelona, and was attended by teammates, music stars such as Bizarrap and Bad Gyal, and other celebrities. Following a formal complaint lodged by the Association of People with Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias (ADEE), Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights has urged the country’s public prosecutor to open an inquiry into possible violations of disability rights laws. ADEE argues that employing people with dwarfism as entertainment is degrading, perpetuating damaging stereotypes, violating human dignity, and undermining the rights of those with disabilities.
In response to the backlash, one of the performers speaking anonymously — said they were treated respectfully at the event, allowed to work in peace, and participated in dancing, serving drinks, and magic acts. “No one disrespected us,” they asserted, while criticizing the reaction to the event as overblown. The entertainer also said the objections seemed driven by the fact that it was Yamal’s party — otherwise, they claimed, similar work might not attract attention.
As of now, neither Yamal nor his representatives have made a public statement on the matter. The investigation will determine whether any laws were breached and whether the rights of those with disabilities were compromised.
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