Barcelona President Breaks Silence on Lamine Yamal Birthday Scandal: "What I Regret Is..."

Barcelona's president Joan Laporta has expressed his backing for Lamine Yamal regarding the winger's disputed birthday celebration, stating that his sole concern about the occasion was his absence from the festivities.

Yamal celebrated his 18th birthday recently and shared numerous photos of a lavish celebration on social media, which subsequently caused controversy when he faced accusations of violating regulations by employing individuals with dwarfism purely for entertainment.

Spanish legislation forbids "performances or leisure activities where individuals with disabilities or other conditions are exploited to generate mockery, ridicule or scorn from audiences in ways that contradict the dignity owed to all humans".

After Spanish officials threatened to launch an inquiry, both Yamal and his father dismissed the claims following public reassurance from one of the entertainers involved that no wrongdoing had occurred.

"This was a personal celebration, and everything Lamine does moving forward, as he understands, will remain under scrutiny and public attention," Laporta informed Mundo Deportivo. "From my perspective, he hosted an 18th birthday celebration, and my only disappointment is missing it. It was an exceptional gathering; everyone enjoyed themselves and maintained elegance.

"The motivation? They're 18 years old. They selected this theme, and it's quite entertaining. He organized it with his companions, alongside people from entertainment and contemporary culture—YouTube personalities, content creators, TikTok stars, musicians.

"In this regard, I'm pleased he organized such a wonderful celebration. It remained within personal boundaries, then he returned to practice, and his training dedication is unmatched. Therefore, I find no fault with his actions. Instead, I wish to commend him, and I'm delighted they enjoyed the birthday festivities."

Yamal resumed training the morning following his celebration and extended his commemorations by receiving Barcelona's iconic No.10 jersey, which has already broken sales records throughout Catalonia.