In Spain, prosecutors are investigating the YouTuber and football influencer Iñaki Angulo over homophobic remarks about football star Héctor Bellerín. The Madrid Provincial Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an inquiry to determine whether Angulo’s comments during a YouTube livestream meet the criteria for a crime against fundamental rights and public freedoms.
The trigger was a livestream during the match between Bellerín’s club Real Betis of Seville and Real Madrid on September 4. Angulo, a Madrid-based Madrid supporter, commented on Betis defender Bellerín’s performance, referencing his appearance and personal interests. He noted that Bellerín paints his fingernails and reads books by women. He then labeled the footballer as a presumed “closeted gay” and used additional homophobic insults.
The complaint against Angulo was filed about a month ago by the Asociación Transparencia y Democracia en el Deporte. According to several Spanish media outlets, roughly 100 more people subsequently joined the complaint. The prosecutor’s office will now examine the circumstances and the possible criminal content of the remarks.
Bellerín criticized homophobia in football
The case also comes amid a broader debate about homophobia and gender roles in football, both in Spain and worldwide. Bellerín himself has repeatedly spoken about homophobic harassment. In June, the footballer told a television program that he and his former teammate Borja Iglesias are frequently targeted because of their appearance and interests, and that things like painted nails or other personal preferences are used to push players away.
Iglesias has also faced homophobic insults in the past for painted nails. After such attacks, fans and football supporters showed solidarity with the player, including by painting their nails as well.
The newly opened investigations do not amount to charges or a conviction yet. The prosecutor’s office must first determine whether the remarks bear legal relevance and whether additional legal steps will follow.
