CAMEL JOCKEY AGE LIMITS INCREASED

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001237 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/RA, G/TIP (FASSEFA),DRL (JDEMARIA) STATE PASS USTR (AROSENBERG) USDOL FOR B. CLATANOFF US MISSION GENEVA FOR N. KYLOH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM ETRD ELAB PREL KOCI SCUL MU UNICEF SUBJECT: CAMEL JOCKEY AGE LIMITS INCREASED REF: A. MUSCAT 607 ¶B. MUSCAT 863 Fewer than four months after the Oman Equestrian and Camel Association (OECA) set a minimum age requirement for camel jockeys at 14 years (ref A),the Ministry of Sports announced it is raising that limit to 18. As reported ref B, the Ministry of Sports took over the OECA on May 24, leading to expectations that it would bring camel racing under more formal supervision and regulatory control. In recent weeks, Ministry of Sport Under Secretary Rashid al-Hinai has been touring camel racing facilities and breeding centers to discuss the new regulations. Some of the reforms were publicized by the Oman News Agency on August 6, the most important being that the minimum age of camel jockeys will be raised annually by one year until it reaches 18 in 2009. The new decision also makes the wearing of helmets and sportswear mandatory. BALTIMORE