Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal could be in trouble for allegedly hiring people with dwarfism as entertainers during his lavish 18th birthday party this weekend. Yamal hosted the party on Sunday at a rented property in Olivella a small town 50 kilometres north west of Barcelona, BBC Sport reports, with guests, including a glittering star cast of his Barcelona teammates, Youtubers and influencers.
It is further reported that the Directorate General for People with Disabilities – part of Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights, ConsumerAffairs, and 2030 Agenda, has filed a legal complaint. “Therefore, this Directorate General has asked the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate to determine whether the law and, therefore, the rights of people with disabilities have been violated,” it said, according to BBC Sport.
Association of People with Achondroplasia and other Skeletal Dysplasias in Spain (ADEE) has described it as “unacceptable in the 21st century”. It said that it “publicly denounces the hiring of people with dwarfism as part of the entertainment,” and said it would take legal action as it “perpetuates stereotypes, fuels discrimination, and undermines the image and rights” of people with disabilities.
“The general law on the rights of persons with disabilities expressly prohibits the following practices: ‘Shows or recreational activities in which people with disabilities or other circumstances are used to provoke mockery, ridicule, or derision from the public in a manner contrary to the respect due to human dignity are prohibited’,” it said in a statement.
It is to be noted that an individual claiming to be one of the performers told Spanish radio station RAC1 defended Yamal. “No-one disrespected us, we worked in peace,” said the artist, who asked to remain anonymous.
“I don’t understand why there’s so much hype. We’re normal people, who do what we want, in an absolutely legal way. We work as entertainers. Why can’t we do it? Because of our physical condition? We know what our limit is and we will never exceed it: we are not fairground monkeys.”
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
