Naomi Campbell has won substantial damages over a news report which falsely claimed she wanted to organise an elephant polo match.
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The article – published by the Daily Telegraph in November 2012 – stated the supermodel wanted to host the match to mark her partner’s 50th birthday celebrations in Jodhpur, India.
Campbell insisted the claims were inaccurate.
In a statement read out in the high court on Thursday (31.01.13), Campbell’s lawyer, Gideon Benaim, noted the “criticisms made by the animal rights group PETA, who were said [in the Telegraph] to have launched a personal attack on Ms. Campbell for promoting animal cruelty”.
The statement added: “Readers were told that elephant polo was cruel and depended upon the ‘violent abuse’ of the animals by the mahouts who trained them, and that they were ‘constantly kept in chains’ and ‘driven insane’ by their treatment.
“In fact, this story was simply false and the criticisms unfounded: there were never any plans for an elephant polo tournament at the birthday celebrations, and Ms. Campbell had neither organised nor requested the organisation of any such tournament.”
The publication has now apologised to Streatham-bred Campbell for the false story and agreed to pay damages and her legal costs.
The 42-year-old catwalk star was not present in court, but said in a statement: “There were never plans to hold an elephant polo tournament, so the allegations should not have been published.
“However, I am glad that the matter has been resolved and I accept the newspaper’s apology.”
