A disturbing footage showing a matador being gored by a bull has emerged online.

As reported by Deccan Chronicle, the raging bull thrusted its 11-inch horn inside Antonio Romero's butthole.

The video shows Romero trying to get the beast pivot around him at a bullfighting event. In an unfortunate turn of events, the bull suddenly rushed towards the matador, mowed him and knocked him off balance.

Romero covered his head, but the bull targeted his behind. With the bull's strong force, he laid helpless as the bull attacked him. Romero suffered severe injuries and was immediately brought to the hospital.

A Lucrative But Deadly Attraction

Bullfighting is known in Mexico as corrida de toros (meaning, "running of the bulls").

This dangerous sport is being presented as a contest between a ferocious beast and a bold man, who is called the matador. It has been a part of Spanish culture and custom since the beginning of time.

According to a website dedicated to Spanish Fiestas, the "fight" requires six bulls to be killed by three matadors. Each fight usually lasts for 15 to 20 minutes.

Cruel as it may seem, bullfighting has increased in popularity in recent years. Daily Mail said millions of tourists go to Andalusia every year to witness the event. It generates a turnover of £2.5 billion a year and is the second most watched sport in Spain, next to football. Because of this, the government seems determined to preserve bullfighting.

Last July 2016, Victor Barrio, became the first Spanish bullfighter to die in the bullring since 1985. The Telegraph reported that he was gored to death by an 83-stone bull who rammed his horn directly to his chest.

Animal Cruelty and Bullfighting

Not everyone supports bullfighting. Many also deem it as a cruel activity, which puts bulls in the wrong light. Humane Society International (HSI) notes that there is an estimated 250,000 bulls killed every year in Europe for bullfighting.

In Spain, bulls are reared specifically for bullfights. Some breeders often attempt to replicate "aggressive" bulls through cloning. But naturally, they are not as aggressive as they are often portrayed.

HIS says they are naturally calm creatures. Zoologist Jordi Casamitjana explained that when a bull advances towards a person, it's not trying to attack him. Rather, it's trying to push him away as form of defense.

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