Barca star Lamine Yamal. © APA/afp / JOHN MACDOUGALL

After birthday party: Big trouble for Lamine Yamal

Football star Lamine Yamal has come under criticism in Spain because he hired several people of short stature to entertain him at his 18th birthday party.

July 15, 2025

From: apa/sn

The controversy surrounding the participation of entertainers with dwarfism at the birthday party of young soccer star Lamine Yamal is escalating in Spain. One of the artists hired by FC Barcelona's player vigorously rejected criticism from an association for people with dwarfism (ADEE). "No one treated us disrespectfully (at the party), they should just let us work in peace," he said in an interview with radio station RAC1.

The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, emphasized: "I don't understand what's so special about this. We're just ordinary people doing what we want in a completely legal way." ADEE President Carolina Puente sparked the controversy by criticizing it as "unacceptable that in the 21st century, people with dwarfism are still being used as entertainment at private parties." It's even more serious "when public figures like Lamine Yamal are involved." Puente announced that legal action is being considered.

In future, fines of up to one million

Spanish law prohibits the denigration of people with dwarfism and other physical characteristics or disabilities. Regardless, the left-wing central government in Madrid plans to tighten the law on Tuesday, imposing fines of up to one million euros.

Yamal is under fire. © APA/afp / MANAURE QUINTERO

In the context of the controversy surrounding Yamal, the Director General of the Ministry of Social Rights, Jesús Martín Blanco, emphasized the presumption of innocence. However, the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Ombudsman, and the Hate Crimes Unit at the Ministry of the Interior have been asked to investigate. No statement from the professional football player or FC Barcelona was immediately available.

According to media reports, Yamal celebrated his 18th birthday over the weekend at a finca in Olivella, about 50 kilometers southwest of Barcelona. His teammates and many well-known artists from the Spanish-speaking world, including the successful Argentinian DJ and songwriter Bizarrap, were in attendance.

Artists criticize attacks on Yamal

Meanwhile, the national player and 2024 European champion posted a video and photos of his party on Instagram. Among other things, the short (approximately 1,50 m tall) Dominican rapper Chimbala can be seen alongside the host – both singing and holding microphones.

Meanwhile, several artists and media commentators sided with the player. The artist Juan, alias Mister Peke, who himself has dwarfism, criticized the stance of organizations like ADEE on television. He stated that his work in show business was voluntary and that he did not feel discriminated against. Mister Peke accuses ADEE of trying to make people with dwarfism invisible.