Three unidentified members of the Real Madrid youth school were detained by Spanish police on Thursday for allegedly disseminating a pornographic video that featured a minor, according to a police spokesperson.
In response to a complaint made in Spain’s Canary Islands earlier this month by the mother of a 16-year-old girl who is seen in the video, officers detained the players, who are between the ages of 21 and 22, at Real Madrid’s training facilities, a Guardia Civil police spokeswoman said.
“They were detained on suspicion of distributing a video with sexual content involving a minor,” he said.
The players were interrogated and had their mobile phones examined before being freed, the official continued.
A fourth Real Madrid youth player was the subject of an investigation.
In a statement the club said it was aware that a player from Real Madrid’s second team Castilla and three players from Real Madrid C — the Spanish club’s third team — “have made statements to the Guardia Civil in relation to a complaint about the alleged circulation of a private video via WhatsApp”.
“When the club has detailed knowledge of the facts, it will take the appropriate measures,” the statement added.
A Real Madrid C player who allegedly recorded himself having consensual intercourse with a 16-year-old is the main subject of the investigation, according to online newspaper El Confidencial, which broke the story and cited sources from the investigation. The report said that he afterwards shared the video with the other participants over WhatsApp without getting her permission.
The arrests occur while a sexist discussion over the incident surrounding former Spanish football federation head Luis Rubiales’ kissing of World Cup champion Jenni Hermoso on the lips is raging in Spain.
His actions at last month’s Women’s World Cup final, which Spain won 1-0 over England, drew widespread criticism and resulted in both his resignation and a FIFA interim punishment.
Rubiales is due in court on Friday over the alleged unsolicited kiss.
“Spreading sexual images without consent also is sexual violence,” Equality Minister Irene Montero wrote on social network X, formerly called Twitter, after news of the arrests broke.
“We have an obligation to not to look the other way and guarantee all rights to all women. All my support to the victim and her family,” she added.
