Barcelona and Spain winger, Lamine Yamal, is facing public criticism and a potential legal challenge over how he chose to celebrate his 18th birthday.
Yamal turned 18 on July 13 and reportedly hired people with dwarfism to perform entertainment acts during his party. This decision has drawn backlash from a major disability rights group in Spain.
The Association of People with Achondroplasia and other Skeletal Dysplasias condemned the act in a strongly worded statement.
“The Association condemns the involvement of people with dwarfism for entertainment purposes at Yamal’s celebration and will take legal and public action,” the group said in an official release.
The organisation said the use of individuals with dwarfism as party entertainers was insulting and outdated. They described Yamal’s actions as “regressive” and not aligned with modern ideas about dignity and inclusion.
The association is known for opposing portrayals that stereotype or exploit people with dwarfism. Though no lawsuit has been officially filed yet, they said they are preparing both legal and public campaigns to prevent such actions from becoming normalized.
Meanwhile, Yamal’s career continues to flourish. He played a key role in Barcelona’s recent success, helping the team win both LaLiga and the Copa del Rey. There is also talk of him wearing the legendary No.10 jersey next season, once worn by Lionel Messi.
Still, this controversy threatens to overshadow his rising profile. Some critics are now calling on him to address the issue and offer an apology.
As of now, Yamal and his team have not made any public statement regarding the incident.
