Video: Man gored to death in Oman as bull goes on a rampage

Muscat: An Omani man was killed after being gored by a fighting bull in the wilayat of Liwa, in North Batinah governorate, on Friday.

The young spectator was gored to death after the bull went on a rampage in the Liwa arena, where a bullfighting event was taking place with hundreds of spectators. Several other spectators were also injured in the incident.

Bullfights have been held in small Omani villages for decades and continue today in the wilayats of Barka, Khabourah, Saham, Sohar, and Liwa. A video of the attack went viral on social media, prompting many users on X to call for stricter rules and safety measures to protect both animals and spectators.

Despite a 2020 ban on the use of animals for entertainment and sports like bullfighting, these events are still organised on a weekly basis.

The law imposes fines on those who use animals for artistic or entertainment performances. Under this regulation, animal owners are in violation if they subject animals to unnatural acts, force them to perform in entertainment shows such as wrestling arenas and circuses, or use cruelty in preparing them for slaughter.

Additionally, offenses include neglecting animals, depriving them of adequate nutrition or rest, overworking them, racing them without considering their age and health, displaying or trading sick or injured animals, and lifting or pulling animals unable to walk—causing them pain.

Other violations include animal abuse (including sexual abuse), administering growth stimulants or unauthorised feed additives, and inhumane disposal of sick animals.

The decision is based on the Animal Welfare Law issued via Royal Decree No. 21/2017. According to Article 13 of this law, violations are punishable by imprisonment for up to one month, a fine not exceeding 500 riyals, or both.

Every Friday, hundreds of fans gather in the wilayats of Barka, Khabourah, Musanah, Sohar, and Liwa to watch bullfighting — or more accurately, headbutting — where honour, rather than money, is at stake.

Unlike the Spanish tradition, which pits man against beast, the Omani version involves two bulls locking horns in a three-to-four-minute sumo-wrestling-like fight that usually ends without bloodshed. There is no cash prize, as betting is not allowed under Omani Islamic law. However, bulls are seen as investments, and their value increases the more they win. The price of a winning bull can reach up to 50,000 riyals.

Most of these bulls are Brahmas imported from India, Pakistan, Portugal, and Spain, varying in colour, breed, and size — some weighing over a ton.

Young bulls are reared on a high-carb diet rich in grains, dates, and dried fish. Some owners feed them milk, bananas, and a specially cooked mixture of greens and dates. These prize fighters are also massaged daily. Training begins when the bulls are around six months old, and they are introduced to the bullring between the ages of two and five years.

To build stamina, the bulls are trained in the sea, which strengthens their chest muscles and helps prevent fatigue, according to their owners.

The wrestling arenas in Barka and Sohar are the only ones that have protective barriers and spectator stands, while the arenas in other wilayats lack such safety measures, according to organizers.

Bullfighting-related deaths are extremely rare in Oman, with very few cases recorded in the past 30 years.