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Officials in Spain demanded an investigation into Barcelona star Lamine Yamal after it was alleged the 18-year-old soccer player hired entertainers with dwarfism for his birthday party over the weekend.
Spain’s Ministry for Social Rights asked officials, including the Public Prosecutor’s Office, to investigate the allegations and whether disability laws were violated at Sunday’s party.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal warms up for a Nations League semifinal soccer match against France in Stuttgart, Germany, June 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, file)
ESPN reported that guests were not allowed to film during the celebrations, but videos on social media appeared to show people with dwarfism arriving at the event outside of Barcelona.
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The photos prompted one group to issue a statement threatening legal action.
The Association of People with Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias (ADEE) said in a statement it condemned Yamal.
“The association announces that it will take legal and social actions to safeguard the dignity of people with disabilities, considering that these events violate not only current legislation, but also the fundamental ethical values of a society that claims to be egalitarian and respectful,” ADEE said in the statement, according to a translation.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal slides during a Nations League semifinal against France at MHPArena in Stuttgart, Germany, June 5, 2025. (Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach)
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“During the birthday of the young soccer player, a relevant figure in Spanish sports, people with dwarfism were hired solely for entertainment and protest activities. For ADEE, this type of practice is intolerable because it perpetuates stereotypes, fuels discrimination and undermines the image and rights of those with achondroplasia or other skeletal dysplasias, as well as all people with disabilities.”
The BBC reported Tuesday that the ADEE had filed a complaint with the Ministry.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal gestures during the Nations League Final against Portugal June 8, 2025, at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. (Reuters/Angelika Warmuth)
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the soccer club for comment.
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