Camel Racing with Robot Jockeys
The ancient traditional sport of camel racing underwent an interesting transformation in Dubai in 2004. Surprisingly, robots were introduced to replace human jockeys. In modern camel races, the camels are guided by remotely controlled robots. This change was prompted by accusations of human rights violations, as child jockeys were historically used in many Gulf states.
Both Qatar and the Arab Emirates (UAE), which includes Dubai, have banned the use of human jockeys due to robotization and to safeguard against human rights abuses. The UAE was the first country to implement this ban, aiming to combat child labor and abuse and to drastically reduce the prevalence of child jockeys. Even after this modern shift, camel racing remains a widespread and lucrative industry, with millions of dollars at stake.
Advertisements
Advertisements