Bullfighting

Calls to cancel comedy 'bullfight' featuring performers with dwarfism in Axarquía village

Franz Weber Foundation files official complaints with Spanish Ombudsman and regional authorities over scheduled event at Arenas mule fair, citing disability rights legislation

07/10/2026 Actualizado a las 06:15h.

An upcoming comedy-bullfighting event in Malaga province has sparked controversy following calls for its immediate cancellation by animal welfare and human rights charity the ... Franz Weber Foundation (FFW).

The organisation has submitted a formal complaint to Spain's Ombudsman (Defensor del Pueblo) requesting an urgent investigation into the spectacle, performed by the troupe 'Diversiones en el Ruedo' and organised by event company África Taurina. It is scheduled for Saturday 10 October as part of the 29th Feria de la Mula (mule fair) in Arenas, in the Axarquía region.

The foundation argues that featuring performers with achondroplasia - a genetic condition commonly known as dwarfism - violates national regulations protecting the dignity and rights of people with disabilities.

Legal framework and administrative challenges

The complaint to the Ombudsman follows an administrative challenge lodged with the Andalusian regional government's Directorate-General for People with Disabilities and Inclusion, alongside notification sent to Spain's Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda.

A photo of the show in Cortes de la Frontera last August. (ÁFRICA TAURINA)

FFW campaign coordinator Rubén Pérez stated that public authority involvement in funding or promoting shows that subject people with physical conditions to potential ridicule undermines fundamental human rights and dignity.

The foundation points to legislation enacted in 2023 under the General Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which explicitly prohibits public performances using disability to provoke mockery or derision.

A government reform introduced in February requires that any performances which infringe on the rights of, or subjects people with disabilities to denigration, be banned

Furthermore, Royal Decree 143/2026, which took effect on 28 February 2026, updated national bullfighting regulations to stipulate that authorities must refuse authorisation for events that subject minorities or people with disabilities to public ridicule.

Organisers defend right to work

In response to previous bans, performers and organisers from 'Diversiones en el Ruedo' - a group with over a decade of experience - have consistently defended their right to work, denying that their comedic bullfighting routines are inherently degrading.

Organiser África Taurina highlighted a 2025 Malaga court ruling that favoured holding similar events in Cortes de la Frontera after regional authorities initially denied approval.

However, legal experts note that ruling predated the stricter federal regulations introduced in February 2026.

Arenas Town Hall municipal sources confirmed to SUR that the event currently holds all required regional authorisations from the Junta de Andalucía, adding that any decision to suspend the show based on national legislation would rest entirely with regional or state regulatory bodies.