The controversy around sexism and macho behavior in Spanish soccer has been exacerbated by the arrests of three Real Madrid youth players on Thursday by Spanish police. The boys are accused of disseminating a sexual film depicting a minor, and their arrests have added fuel to the fire.
The players, who are not juveniles, were eventually released after a court judgment and after the data on their mobile phones was taken, according to a statement issued by the police department.
According to the Canary Islands police, the investigation into this issue began when the mother of a girl who was 16 years old submitted a complaint about an alleged recording of sexual intercourse on the islands. They went on to say that the girl insisted that the sexual encounters were voluntary but that the recording was conducted in June without her permission and that she had just lately become aware of it.
The arrests were made due to claims of sexual assault against a former soccer federation chief named Luis Rubiales. Rubiales allegedly sexually abused Spain’s World Cup champion, Jenni Hermoso, last month, which sparked a wave of outrage comparable to the Me Too movement.
Rubiales, who had previously ignored calls to resign for several weeks, tendered his resignation on Sunday and is scheduled to appear before a judge on Friday. He insists that the kiss was an equal and voluntary exchange between them.
The three individuals were reportedly seized by the police at the Real Madrid sports complex in Madrid, while an additional player is under investigation. Three of those detained are on the third team, including one player on the reserve squad.
A statement was released by Real Madrid that merely stated that a total of four youth squad players had been questioned by police “in connection with a complaint about an alleged release of a private video via the WhatsApp” messaging system. The statement was the only information provided by Real Madrid.
El Confidencial reports that the primary focus of the investigation is on a player from the third team who reportedly filmed his sexual contact with the 16-year-old victim. This information comes from the publication.
According to a representative for the Spanish police, all three are suspected of committing the crime of “revealing secrets of a sexual nature,” which is a felony under Spanish penal law.
