--- description: Francisco Rivera Ordóñez came under fire when he posted a picture on Instagram that shows him holding his daughter while taunting a bull title: Matador Sparks Outrage by Bullfighting While Holding Baby image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Matador Sparks Outrage by Bullfighting While Holding His Baby Daughter by [Mark Rivett-Carnac](/author/mark-rivett-carnac/) ## Mark Rivett-Carnac Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 27, 2016 7:32 AM CUT by [Mark Rivett-Carnac](/author/mark-rivett-carnac/) ## Mark Rivett-Carnac Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 27, 2016 7:32 AM CUT A Spanish matador [sparked outrage](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/26/fran-rivera-spanish-matador-investigated-baby-daughter-bullfight "undefined") on Monday, and not just from animal-rights groups, according to the _Guardian_ _._ Famed bullfighter Francisco Rivera Ordóñez came under fire when he posted a picture on Instagram that shows him holding his baby daughter while taunting a bull that appears to be wounded. “Carmen’s debut,” Rivera wrote in the caption. Child-protection officials in Andalucía launched an investigation into the fourth-generation bullfighter’s actions, which the welfare agency called “a situation of unnecessary risk for a minor,” according to [Agence France-Presse](http://news.yahoo.com/spanish-bullfighter-creates-stir-bringing-baby-ring-194522559.html "undefined"). Rivera said he did not put his child at risk and cited his family’s extensive history in the arena, the _Guardian_ reported. But his record may not offer the best defense. Rivera underwent life-saving surgery after a bull [gorged](http://time.com/3993584/bullfighting-spain-paquirri-goring/ "undefined") him last year. And his father died during a bullfight in 1984. Other matadors have come to Rivera’s defense, however. “What’s the problem in showing our children a profession that we love and is filled with values?” matador Manuel Díaz [wrote](https://twitter.com/mdelcordobes/status/691700736443445248/photo/1?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw "undefined") on Twitter, according to the _Guardian_. Even comedian and animal-rights campaigner Ricky Gervais joined in the debate, [tweeting](https://twitter.com/rickygervais/status/691996036609499136 "undefined"): “Mental, dangerous & cruel. With or without a baby.” \[[_Guardian_](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/26/fran-rivera-spanish-matador-investigated-baby-daughter-bullfight "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4195349/spain-matador-bullfighting-francisco-rivera-ordonez-daughter-baby/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4195349/spain-matador-bullfighting-francisco-rivera-ordonez-daughter-baby/"},"headline":"Matador Sparks Outrage by Bullfighting While Holding His Baby Daughter","datePublished":"2016-01-27T07:32:20.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:29:17.356Z","description":"The famed bullfighter said he did not put his child at risk","url":"https://time.com/4195349/spain-matador-bullfighting-francisco-rivera-ordonez-daughter-baby/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Spain","Investigation","Daughter"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Mark Rivett-Carnac","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/mark-rivett-carnac/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4195349/spain-matador-bullfighting-francisco-rivera-ordonez-daughter-baby/","name":"Matador Sparks Outrage by Bullfighting While Holding His Baby Daughter"}}]}] ```