Controversy Reignited As Another Bullfighter Is Seriously Injured

The controversy surrounding bullfighting is not a new one, and it looks set to continue following an incident yesterday when a bullfighter was rushed to hospital in a serious condition.

On Monday, August 14, in Cenicientos, Madrid, 28-year-old Alejandro Conquero from Huelva, Andalucia, experienced a terrifying incident when he was violently gored and tossed by a bull, writes The Sun.

Bullfighter Seriously Injured

The audience was thrown into panic as Conquero was pierced by the bull’s horns and lifted into the air. The matador is now in a ‘serious’ condition in hospital after the sickening scene.

The shocking footage shows Alejandro, dressed in traditional attire, teasing the white bull with a brightly coloured cape, only to be impaled by the animal’s horns.

As the bull charged, Alejandro was thrown into the air and left lying on the ground, only to be attacked again by the relentless beast.

The bull’s horns became lodged in Alejandro’s rectum, causing him to be horrifyingly thrust into the air once more before other bullfighters rushed to his aid.

The video shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times, highlighting the brutal nature of the incident.

Alejandro was airlifted to Rey Juan Carlos de Mostoles Hospital in Madrid. Medics diagnosed him at the scene with ‘a goring in the posterior perianal region, which dissects the rectum through the coccyx and could affect the external sphincter of the anus.’

The incident occurred during the annual Prieto de la Cal event, where Conquero, the son of renowned bullfighter Jose Conquero, aka The Hurricane of Huelva, was the third matador to enter the ring.

Bullfighting Controversy Continues

Bullfighting has long been a subject of controversy in Spain. While some view it as a cultural tradition and an art form, others see it as a cruel and inhumane sport. Protests and debates have been ongoing, with animal rights activists calling for a ban on the practice.

Some comments taken from the Quora online platform give some indication of the way it is viewed. Aurelio Germes, a Spaniard, living in Spain said: ‘Bullfighting in Spain is already a minority spectacle. A Gallup poll in 2002 showed that only 10 per cent of Spanish population backed bullfighting and an additional 21 per cent had some interest in bullfighting.

‘The remainder 69 per cent showed no interest at all. Currently, 13 years later, these percentages would show an even lower percentage of fans, mainly in the centre and southern part of Spain,’ he concluded.

To add another perspective to the debate, Maria Dominguez added: ‘I’ve never been to a bullfight and I’m neither in favour or against. Basically, I don’t care.

‘That said, I don’t know what bulls would say if ask to choose between a wonderful life in the pastures until they die in the bullring (with the possibility to kill the one who is going to kill you) or a sad life encaged in an intensive farm and then going to the slaughter house.’

The incident involving Alejandro Conquero has once again focused the issue, with many questioning the ethics and safety of the sport. The divide between the supporters and opponents of bullfighting continues to grow, and reflects a broader societal debate about animal welfare and cultural preservation.