'We're not circus monkeys, they're publicly humiliating us, not the player!' - Lamine Yamal defended after birthday party

The Barcelona starlet turned 18 on Sunday and celebrated with a lavish party attended by several teammates and close friends.

The controversy erupted following reports that Yamal hired little people as entertainment, leading to a public denouncement by the Spanish Association of People with Achondroplasia and other Skeletal Dysplasias with Dwarfism (ADEE).

One of the performers hired by Lamine Yamal has spoken anonymously to the Spanish press, via GSP, defending the footballer and criticising ADEE's reaction. He detailed their performance at the party and explained how they were treated respectfully.

"The Association is publicly humiliating us. We are working people, legally employed, and we have a confidentiality agreement. We provide entertainment services, like many others. And we do it with dignity."

"We're not circus monkeys! The party guests treated us like professionals. We danced, did shots, and performed magic tricks. It was a party like any other."

"They want to portray us as victims, when in fact we are asking to be allowed to work. They mock and disrespect our work. The complaint comes from the Association, not from us," said one of the performers, according to Sports.

"At the party, the guests never crossed the line. There's a clear boundary. If there's any disrespect, the show stops and we leave. But in this case, it wasn't like that. We had a great time, along with everyone else. The performance lasted an hour. After that, they continued with the party."

"Lamine treated me with respect. He was just a client. What has appeared in the public domain is an attack on him and our work. And it's illogical," he added.

Claudia Calvo, model and "Miss Teenager" Europe 2022, revealed she was invited to Lamine Yamal's party for a fee.

"They asked me to come to Lamine Yamal's party. They offered us between €10,000 and €20,000, but I don't know what they expected from us. They were looking for blonde women with specific bust sizes. We couldn't bring our phones," said Claudia Calvo, according to tribuna.com.