A child camel jockey and racing camel at the Nad al Sheba camel race track, Dubai, UAE.

The use of child camel jockeys has been illegal in the UAE since 1980. Despite repeated official denials by the sport and UAE officials, in 2004 an undercover investigation by TEPA, working with Pakistani human rights lawyer, Ansar Burney, found thousands of children working in the industry. Some were as young as 2-3 years of age, mostly trafficked illegally from Pakistan and Bangladesh. Evidence of corruption, trafficking, starvation, use of drugs to stunt growth, beatings, fatalities and serious injury, plus widespread, serious sexual assault was documented.

In late 2004 the resulting documentary, The Sport of Sheikhs, was aired by HBO - to the intense embarrassment of both US and UAE authorities.

In 2005 the response of UAE authorities was to again declare a ban on the use of under-18s as camel jockeys and, working with UNICEF, agreed to halt trafficking and establish a repatriation and compensation scheme.

In 2010 child jockeys were observed still being used in UAE camel races.

The Start – camel racing at the Nad al Sheba camel race track, Dubai, UAE.

More than 30 camels thunder down the straight at the Nad al Sheba stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Young camel jockeys at the Nad al Sheba stadium wait their turn to race. Note the large patches of Velcro fabric sewn onto their trousers. It ensured that these lightweight jockeys ‘stuck’ to their saddles even if their camel tripped or fell. The practice was eventually halted after numerous deaths and serious injuries.

More than 30 camels thunder down the straight at the Nad al Sheba, Dubai, UAE.         

Tethered camels outside the Bedouin tent-style stadium at the Nad al Sheba camel race track, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Another very young, possibly 2-3 year old Pakistani child camel jockey wearing riding helmet and body armour on camel back. At the Nad al Sheba camel race track, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

One of the numerous 'NO PHOTOGRAPHY' signs found around the Nad al Sheba camel racing stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

To see HBO Real Sports - The Sport of Sheiks Part 2 follow link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoiOs2DXllM&feature=youtu.be

A sports program investigating the exploitation of children as camel jockeys in the United Arab Emirates, guided by Pakistan human rights lawyer, Ansar Burney and TEPA producer, director, cameraman, reporter, David Higgs, documented slavery and torture in secret desert camps where boys under the age of five were trained to race camels, a national sport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The investigative report exposed a carefully hidden child slavery racket that bought or kidnapped hundreds of young boys in Pakistan and Bangladesh. These boys were then forced to become camel jockeys in the UAE. The report also questioned the sincerity of U.S. diplomacy in pressuring an ally, the UAE, to comply with its own stated policy of banning the use of children under-15 from camel racing.

The resulting documentary, ‘THE SPORT OF SHEIKHS’, received both duPont-Columbia and Emmy Awards for ‘excellence in broadcast reporting’ and ‘outstanding journalism’ respectively.