Dakar Rally Cancelled

[Random717]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/world_rally/7171426.stm

Safety concerns end Dakar Rally

The 2008 Dakar Rally has been cancelled because of safety concerns in the African republic of Mauritania.

Four French tourists were murdered in Mauritania on 24 December, which led to the French government advising against any travel to the country.

Nine of the rally's stages were due to pass through Mauritania.

The annual car and motorcycle marathon had been due to start in Lisbon on 5 January with the finish coming in Dakar on 20 January.

The head of sport for France Televisions, the organisation that was due to broadcast the event, confirmed the cancellation.

"If the slightest incident had happened, it would have been the credibility of the Amaury Sport Organisation (organisers) that would have been at stake," said Daniel Bilalian.

 

[milomak]

wow

 

[sand_man]

What a shame, perhaps the 2010 soccer world cup will be next, hope not...

 

[semiautomatix]

Thanks Africa! You've done it again!

 

[stoke]

Why? What they gonna do? Hijack the 250km/h cars?
This is more of a protest than an actual cancellation.

 

[semiautomatix]

Why? What they gonna do? Hijack the 250km/h cars?
This is more of a protest than an actual cancellation.

250km/h over dunes???

 

[zeb]

Let's wait for official confirmation first. I'll be mighty surprised if this really happens

 

[Moederloos]

Why? What they gonna do? Hijack the 250km/h cars?
This is more of a protest than an actual cancellation.

People:

stop to rest
breakdown
can have an accident
....
.....

 

[HavocXphere]

I think the concern is more regarding all the supporting crews etc, not the drivers themselves.

 

[zeb]

The press conference was held and now it's official.
Paint me mighty surprised

 

[The_Techie]

It's a pity, I was looking forward to it

 

[HavocXphere]

Just spoke to my dad. He says they already had troubles in one of the other countries (Mali I think), so they moved a lot of stages to Mauritania. Now that tanked too, so they canceled it.

 

[shadow_man]

Why? What they gonna do? Hijack the 250km/h cars?
This is more of a protest than an actual cancellation.

Are you slow or something or do you just not watch the news? Many a truck / motorcycle has had potshots taken at them and been hijacked by the arabs in the desert stages.

J

 

[Arko2]

Dakar rally cancelled? Who's next WC 2010?

Due to the killing of 4 French tourists, the big Dakar
race has been cancelled. A lot of money been lost due
to it, for Mauretania. How many must be killed to cancel
the 2010 WC?

 

[Skeptik]

Why? What they gonna do? Hijack the 250km/h cars?
This is more of a protest than an actual cancellation.

A few landmines would do the trick. Remote, sparsely populated desert, easy.

 

[BCO]

Paranoid Europeans IMO. It's more likely that somebody would get killed during the actual race than get murdered along the way.


Oh wait, that's the wrong answer... I meant to say: "Mauritania = Zim 2.0"

 

[ToxicBunny]

No man BC... Mauritania = Zim1.5, we're Zim 2.0... I thought you knew this?

Seriously tho, this is very sad, but totally understandable given how dangerous the race is and its been on the verge of cancellation many times before this.

 

[marine1]

I can see it now, 2010 cancelled due to Cosatu running around killing people.

 

[Alan]

So much for 'muslims with grieviances' being only America's problem.

Oh wait it was probably a {insert colour of choice} flag CIA operation

 

[marine1]

Rofl