Three youth players from the Real Madrid football club were arrested by Spanish police on Thursday on charges of allegedly distributing a sexual video featuring a minor. The arrests have sparked increased concerns about sexism and macho behavior within the realm of Spanish soccer.
While the players themselves are not minors, they were later released following a court decision and after the data on their mobile phones was seized, as confirmed by the police in a statement.
The case originated from a complaint filed by the mother of a 16-year-old girl in the Canary Islands concerning an alleged recording of sexual relations. According to the police, while the girl claimed that the relations were consensual, the recording took place in June without her consent, and she had only recently become aware of its existence.
These arrests come at a time when allegations of sexual abuse have been made against former soccer federation chief Luis Rubiales. Rubiales faced controversy after he kissed Spain’s World Cup winner, Jenni Hermoso, on the lips last month, which led to widespread indignation, echoing sentiments similar to the global Me Too movement.
After weeks of resisting calls for his resignation, Rubiales eventually stepped down on Sunday and is scheduled to appear before a judge on Friday. He continues to maintain that the kiss was mutual and consensual.
The police clarified that the three individuals were detained at the Real Madrid sports complex in Madrid, with an additional player being investigated as part of the case. Among those arrested, one is a reserve team player, while the other two play for the third team.
Real Madrid, in response to the incident, issued a statement confirming that a total of four youth team players had been questioned by the police “in connection with a complaint about an alleged release of a private video via the WhatsApp messaging system.”
According to reports from El Confidencial newspaper, the primary focus of the investigation is on a player from the third team, who is alleged to have recorded his sexual relationship with the 16-year-old victim.
All three individuals are currently suspected of committing a felony under Spanish criminal law, referred to as “revealing secrets of a sexual nature,” as stated by a police spokesperson.
