Child jockey ban busters face fine, jail

Effective September 1, 2002, race camel owners who employ children under 15 years as camel jockeys will face a series of penalties, Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Emirates Camel Racing Federation (ECRF) announced yesterday.

For a first offence, a fine of Dh20,000 will be imposed. A second offence will earn a ban from participating in camel-races for one year, while third and subsequent offences will see terms of imprisonment being imposed.

"The Camel Racing Federation has decided to introduce these measures with a view to maintaining camel racing as a worthy sport that successfully meets its objectives," stated Sheikh Hamdan, who is also the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi's Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA).

"These objectives are to maintain our national heritage, and to foster social links and relationships between the country's citizens."

There have been certain infringements of the existing rules of the federation, Sheikh Hamdan noted.

"These infringements have harmed the objectives of the sport, and have also been in breach of the legal structure upon which the UAE is based, whether in terms of its domestic legislation or its obligations under the terms of various international conventions and agreements.

"Directives issued by President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and by Their Highnesses the Members of the UAE Supreme Council and Rulers of the Emirates, stipulate that the new rules are to be firmly implemented," Sheikh Hamdan stressed.

The UAE Ministry of Interior has been assigned the task of implementing the new rules, in association with the local municipalities, in each of the seven emirates, while the country's airports and seaports have also been notified to ensure that no child whose age is below 15 and is suspected of being brought into the country to be employed as a camel jockey is admitted.

Sheikh Hamdan called on all camel-owners who participate in camel racing to abide by the terms of the new regulations, and to cooperate with the authorities concerned.