Lamine Yamal is facing a €1million fine for hiring entertainers with dwarfism for his 18th birthday party.
The football star’s controversial bash on Saturday took place at an exclusive villa in Garraf, Barcelona, which cost him €40,000 for the night.
The party was ‘1920s gangster themed’, with guests told to wear black and white outfits.
But the event has caught the eyes of the authorities after at least five people with dwarfism were pictured entering the villa ahead of the festivities.
Yamal’s team is also accused of seeking to hire 12 women ‘with large breasts and blonde hair’ to ‘have a good time’ at the bash, allegedly offering them up to €20,000 each.
The Association of People with Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias with Dwarfism (ADEE), said on Monday that it would be taking legal action against the Barcelona striker to ‘safeguard the dignity of people with disabilities.’
The Spanish Ministry of Social Rights then asked the Prosecutor’s Office, the Ombudsman, and the Office for Combating Hate Crimes to investigate whether the disability law was violated.
The legislation prohibits shows that mock or denigrate people with disabilities.
According to the Efe news agency, the Director General of Disability, Jesus Martin, has requested clarification on whether people with dwarfism were ‘degraded’ at the party.
‘We are concerned that people with money, people with power, believe they can go unpunished,’ Martin said, insisting that the ministry of social rights ‘will not stand idly by in the face of these allegations.’
In response, the Spanish Government this week updated the law by introducing a fine of between €600,000 and €1million to anyone found to have exploited disabled people for entertainment, in a way that causes mockery or denigration.
According to the ADEE, people with dwarfism were hired at the party ‘solely for entertainment and promotional activities.’
The organisation said it sees such practices as ‘intolerable’ because they ‘perpetuate stereotypes, fuel discrimination, and undermine the image and rights of those with achondroplasia or other skeletal dysplasias, as well as all people with disabilities.’
ADEE president Carolina Puente added: ‘When a person with social influence participates in these types of situations, the damage is even greater, because it conveys to society – especially young people – that discrimination is acceptable.
‘We must eradicate the objectification of difference and educate people in respect and equality.’
However, one of the four little people hired at the party spoke to RAC1 radio station anonymously.
He defended his right to work ‘as he pleases’ and accused rights groups of taking away opportunities.
He said: ‘No one disrespected us, let us work in peace… We dance, we distribute shots, we perform magic… there are many types of shows.
‘I don’t understand why there’s so much hype about it. We’re just normal people, who do what we want, in a completely legal way.
‘For a few years now, these people have been harming us. They want to prohibit a job we like, and in no case have they offered jobs or courses to those affected.’
Meanwhile, Barcelona FC are said to have had a ‘serious talk’ with Lamal following the controversy.
Spanish journalist Alex Alvarez from Tardear TV said in a report: ‘They tell me that Barcelona had a very serious conversation with Lamine Yamal…
‘They told him he can do whatever he wants with his private life, but that he has to be more discreet.’
On Tuesday, Yamal shared a short video on social media, less than a minute long, revealing key scenes from the celebration.
Seemingly trying to downplay the backlash, he captioned the video: ‘Just 1 minute, enjoy it.’
Yamal was dressed as a ‘mafia boss’ at the party, donning a white suit, sunglasses, jewellery, and a cane, enjoying a private casino and live music.
Among the attendees were music stars including Bizarrap, Quevedo, Bad Gyal, Lola Índigo, Ozuna, Ryan Castro and JC Reyes, as well as El Alfa, who surprised the player with a diamond necklace valued at $400,000.
Influencers such as Ibai Llanos, TheGrefg, Marta Díaz, IlloJuan, and the Buyer brothers also took part in the exclusive event.
The big surprise was the unexpected presence of Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc.
Barça teammates such as Lewandowski, Gavi, Balde, Raphinha, and Pau Cubarsí also attended, although his close friend Nico Williams had to miss out due to personal commitments.
