Naomi Campbell accused of promoting animal cruelty over elephant polo match Their guests are expected to take part in adventure sports from zip-riding from the ramparts to taking part in an elephant polo tournament at the city's polo club grounds. Vikram Singh Rathore, a leading figure in international polo, is bringing seven elephants by truck from Jaipur for the tournament, where guests will play in three-a-side teams and recover from their chukkas over a champagne high tea on the lawns. However, India's animal rights campaigners believe the game is cruel to elephants and that transporting them on a slow journey which could take more than ten hours on bad roads is unethical. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) launched a personal attack on Campbell, who has a history of provoking animal rights campaigners with her love of wearing fur. Campbell, the group said, was "clueless" and her celebrity friends people with "more money than compassion." Its spokeswoman Benazir Suraya said elephant polo was cruel and depended upon the violent abuse of India's "national heritage animal" by their mahouts who train them by stabbing their hides with sharp steel bull hooks. Constantly kept in chains, elephants used for polo are driven insane and exhibit signs of immense frustration, including repetitive swaying, rocking and head-bobbing. The chains also result in painful wounds and pressure sores, which often become infected," said Ms Suraya. PETA is calling on Campbell to abandon her plans and will launch an official complaint in an attempt to stop the match. We will urge Naomi Campbell to immediately withdraw her plans to organise this cruel 'sport' and instead work with PETA to promote elephant protection in the country. "PETA will also meet officials at Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and the Wildlife Department to [urge them to] refrain from issuing any permission to allow this event," she added. Elephant Polo was developed by British and Indian polo veterans and members of the well-heeled tobogganing Cresta Club in Switzerland. The game is played with extra length polo sticks wielded by the players while the mahouts 'drive' the elephants in teams of four, according to players' orders. Pairs of boys regularly run onto the pitch to remove the elephants' dung. The game is played is Thailand, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, where an elephant went on the rampage during a tournament in 2007.