A camel competition in Saudi Arabia saw the disqualification of more than 40 animals for doping. The race, however, was not a race, but a race, and the reason was somewhat unusual: use of botox.
The case took place at the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, which reached its sixth edition this year and in which animals compete for a prize of around US$ 66 million in cash, according to British newspaper The Guardian, based on the news agency Saudi state government.
The regulation states that botox injections, facelifts and other cosmetic procedures to make camels more attractive are strictly prohibited.
Judges at the month-long festival, which takes place in the desert near Riyadh, have increased surveillance of doping camels, using advanced and specialized technology to detect the changes, an official told the Saudi agency. Winners are determined by head, neck and hump shape, as well as clothing and posture.
In addition to Botox to make the head and lips bigger, this year’s underdogs underwent procedures to widen their nostrils and relax their face, had hormones injected to boost muscles and parts of the body inflated with rubber bands.
The camel beauty contest is at the center of a major festival, which also includes animal races, sales and other festivities, usually featuring thousands of animals. The aim is to preserve the mammal’s role in Bedouin tradition and heritage, while the oil-rich country moves forward with modernizing megaprojects.
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