Spanish Court Rejects Appeal in High-Profile Child Abuse Case

Las Palmas, Spain — A Spanish court has denied an appeal by Real Madrid defender Asencio to terminate an investigation into his alleged involvement in distributing a sexually explicit video of a minor. The court’s decision comes amid growing scrutiny of the case, which involves multiple former youth players from the club.

The allegations stem from an incident in June 2023, when Asencio, 21, allegedly shared a video recorded by two former Madrid youth players depicting a sexual encounter involving one adult woman and one minor. The Spanish High Court of Justice in the Canary Islands confirmed on Tuesday that the inquiry will continue, dismissing the motion to close the case filed by Asencio’s legal team.

The court’s decision follows the initial arrests of the four involved players last September, after police seized their mobile phones. According to Madrid, players had provided evidence related to the distribution of the private video through WhatsApp messaging.

The complaint was lodged by the mother of a 16-year-old girl from the Canary Islands, who asserted that her daughter had not consented to being recorded. This case has sparked significant concern not only within the football community but also among child protection advocates.

Asencio’s defense argued that there was insufficient evidence to warrant the continuation of the investigation, yet the court found the opposite. A spokesperson for the High Court stated, “The evidence presented sufficiently substantiates the charges, necessitating a thorough investigation into the matter.” With the investigation ongoing, Asencio continues to play regularly for Real Madrid, who have experienced injuries among their senior defensive roster. He is currently included in the squad for the Champions League knockout stage match happening on Tuesday.