Dakar Rally Cancelled

[Wouter Melissen]

BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Rallying | Safety concerns end Dakar Rally (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/world_rally/7171426.stm)


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.

[Wouter Melissen]

I guess that means VW will have to wait another year ...

[drakkie]

Just read this on a Dutch website (amazingly our media is quick for once). What a bummer. I was really looking forward to it... Don't even want to know the financial implications..

[Wouter Melissen]

I would imagine everybody has insurance for this type of situation.

[drakkie]

I would imagine everybody has insurance for this type of situation.

Actually not. This morning I read in a Dutch newspaper(AD) that insurers don't want to insure for that..

[pimento]

O_O

Damn. All the more reason to hate the ****heads who kill people and cause mayhem for their own agendas...

[Wouter Melissen]

O_O

Damn. All the more reason to hate the ****heads who kill people and cause mayhem for their own agendas...

I do think that continent has bigger fish to fry than making sure the Dakar can be held.

[drakkie]

I do think that continent has bigger fish to fry than making sure the Dakar can be held.

Maybe they would have liked some garlic with the fish ?

I don't know how much of a problem it would have been, but since four french people were killed by rebels/looters a entire country is unsafe.. Seems a bit far-fetched honestly. AFAIK they would also have gotten army protection..

[fpv_gtho]

Geez, i read on Autosport maybe a week ago that the rally organisors were planning to go ahead with the event, despite the events in Mauritania. How things change so quickly.

[go.pawel]

Exactly, even 2 days ago the organizers were assuring that the rally wouldn't be cancelled, despite some safety concerns. In my opinion cancelling the Dakar is a huge mistake. The first and utmost rule of dealing with terrorists is for me not to let them decide on anything, not to surrender to any threats. It would be enough to assign some troops to protect the participants. The French Foreign Legion and the Spanish Legion are particularly experienced in desert opperations, the Spaniards are even stationed in northern Africa.

[Wouter Melissen]

It would be enough to assign some troops to protect the participants. The French Foreign Legion and the Spanish Legion are particularly experienced in desert opperations, the Spaniards are even stationed in northern Africa.
Do you want to be the one to explain to one of the soldier's parents that their son died because some idiots wanted to race around the desert? The safety of the participants and the organization, is a matter of the organization. As soon as third and foreign parties are needed for security, something is really wrong.

[go.pawel]

Do you want to be the one to explain to one of the soldier's parents that their son died because some idiots wanted to race around the desert? The safety of the participants and the organization, is a matter of the organization. As soon as third and foreign parties are needed for security, something is really wrong.

So you consider the racers idiots?

What's the difference if a soldier dies this way or any other? If there's any reason for maintaining armed forces, it must be this one - providing safety of citizens It's far more important imo than, let's say, peacekeeping/occupation/whatever missions in the Middle East. What more, it's a matter of principles - a clear sign for terrorists that they can stick their bombs up their asses, because the civilised part of the society will do all they can to prevent any attacks.

[Wouter Melissen]

So you consider the racers idiots?
Well, yes. The Dakar is hardly for the sensible.

What's the difference if a soldier dies this way or any other? If there's any reason for maintaining armed forces, it must be this one - providing safety of citizens It's far more important imo than, let's say, peacekeeping/occupation/whatever missions in the Middle East. What more, it's a matter of principles - a clear sign for terrorists that they can stick their bombs up their asses, because the civilised part of the society will do all they can to prevent any attacks.
Clearing the path for a bunch of foreigners, who have no real need to be there other than for their own pleasure and greater glory, is hardly a reason for maintaining armed forces. I'd reckon protecting the local civilians is the top priority for any army.

[Wouter Melissen]

Safety has priority: Volkswagen respects “Dakar” cancellation

Wolfsburg (4 January 2008). It is with great regret that Volkswagen acknowledges the cancellation of the 30th Dakar Rally. "The safety of every single participant has absolute priority and for this reason Volkswagen completely and utterly endorses the decision made by the organisers ASO to cancel the start of the Dakar Rally originally scheduled for 5 January,” explains Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member with responsibility for Technical Development at Volkswagen. "We are obviously very unhappy about the cancellation, since we prepared for this rally for an entire year and were extremely well equipped for this sporting challenge.”

Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen underlines: "We fully respect the decision for safety purposes, which also have absolute priority for us. The cancellation is a great disappointment for every member of the Volkswagen Motorsport team, particularly as everybody was looking forward to starting this peaceful and fair sporting competition.”

At midday on Friday, 4 January 2008 the "Dakar” organisers ASO officially announced that the rally will be not be held due to the significant safety concerns voiced by the French Government regarding the stages in Mauritania. The start of the 30th Dakar Rally was scheduled for 5 January 2008 in Lisbon. The "Dakar” should have finished, as is tradition, after 15 stages and approximately 9,300 kilometres in the Senegalese capital city on 20 January.

[go.pawel]

Well, yes. The Dakar is hardly for the sensible.

Why so?


Clearing the path for a bunch of foreigners, who have no real need to be there other than for their own pleasure and greater glory, is hardly a reason for maintaining armed forces. I'd reckon protecting the local civilians is the top priority for any army.

They're not foreigners. A majority of participants comes from the EU countries, therefore the European armed forces (such as proposed by me FFL or La Legion) are perfectly suitable for this task. I guess that protecting the locals should be priority of the local forces. Not to mention that I don't see any conflict between protecting the rally participants and the security of locals.
Furthermore, you seem to have missed my point. It's not about this rally or other, it's a matter of principles. Just like you don't negotiate with terrorists, you don't surrender to them. Every case of apparent victory makes them stronger.

[Wouter Melissen]

Furthermore, you seem to have missed my point. It's not about this rally or other, it's a matter of principles. Just like you don't negotiate with terrorists, you don't surrender to them. Every case of apparent victory makes them stronger.

But at what cost? The actual reason was that the French insurance companies had withdrawn their coverage. Also the foreign offices of various countries advised against visiting the countries. You can not ask a civilian to go to a country under these conditions just because nobody should bend over for terrorists.

You are right in principle, but principles don't always work in the real world.

[go.pawel]

You can not ask a civilian to go to a country under these conditions just because nobody should bend over for terrorists.

Nobody was going to put a gun to the partricipant's heads (no pun intended). If the racers withdrew on their own, it's ok. But those willing to start should have this possibility.


You are right in principle, but principles don't always work in the real world.

It's not like they're going to work on their own, just like that. It requires effort from people. We need to MAKE them work.

Edit: Maybe you could add a poll, what people think about the cancellation?

Another thing: there have already been threats issued in previous years. Last year 2 stages were cancelled because of security reasons. It's the way it should have also been done this year. Why cancel Portugal, Morocco, Senegal??? Let's skip Mauretania and that's it.
As for the military, they have been used in previous years at least once. In 2000, during the millennial Dakar-Cairo rally, while in Niger, the French acquired intelligence that an attack is planned at the Tenere desert. And what happened? Nobody cancelled the rally. Nigerien army surrounded the camp, providing security, and four An-72s transported the whole circus to Libya. Simple as that.

[MRR]

This is ridiculous and exactly what the people who supposedly perpetrated this attack want. I somehow doubt that security at the Dakar Rally will be affected by a completely unrelated murder of these tourists.

[dydzi]

i'm just wondering what they'll do if situation reoccurs next year

[The_Canuck]

They couldn't just skip that country? Go around it?

[togos452]

Euromilhões Dakar cancelled for 2008

SPEEDtv.com - The Online Motorsports Authority | Rally / Off-Road | Dakar Rally Canceled Due to Terrorist Threats | by <a href=http://www.racer.com> RACER </a> staff | Championship Rally and Off-Road racing news. | WRC, Dakar, SCCA, SCORE, Pikes Peak (http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/rally/42254/)

Euromilhões Lisboa - Dakar: homepage (http://www.dakar.com/indexus.html)

I was wanting to see Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing with their new 4x4.

Petersen Motorsports (http://www.petersenmotorsports.com/singleItem.asp?ID=356)

Petersen Motorsports (http://www.petersenmotorsports.com/singleItem.asp?ID=406)

YouTube - popcorn dakar (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1h-4WRhpGg)

YouTube - Dakar Rally 2008 Cancelled (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wD8w0Tmh9Y)

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. (http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=dakarpress)

[Fiorano]

so the Dakar would be like running MadMax style for real?
well outfit the crews cars with cannon and guns
imagine a big Kamaz armed to the teeth just to get through ha ha take that Terrorist buttheads!
really the race should go on- and they should race from paris to istanbul
and call it Dakar Memorial race- or race around muritania- have of the stages are in the middle of nowhere any way

[Dino Scuderia]

i'm just wondering what they'll do if situation reoccurs next year

They decided rather than being an inconvenience to the fans by canceling and having to call the Army in... that they will just team up with the terrorist. Prizes will be awarded to the terrorist who can kill the most infidels in rally vehicles before the finish line.

This way go.pawel can have his precious rally carnage.:p

[go.pawel]

This way go.pawel can have his precious rally carnage.

:confused: I don't recall saying anything about any carnage :confused:

BTW: togos452, do you really need to add all those links to your posts? It's not like people can't find that on their own if they're interested. Especially obvious things like Dakar's homepage or SpeedTV news.

[NSXType-R]

You gotta do what you gotta do. It must be a logistical nightmare to guard every competitor. So, to play it safe, you need to cancel it.

I hate giving in to terrorists, but it's the best choice here.

You can never make people happy anyway. When people die, then people start complaining, how come you didn't cancel it in the first place?

[Dino Scuderia]

The terrorists better pray they don't ever interfere with any major soccer matches, then all Euro hell would break loose on them.

[VtecMini]

The terrorists better pray they don't ever interfere with any major soccer matches, then all Euro hell would break loose on them.A few years ago they pushed over a couple of reasonably significant buildings. I'm sure in the grand scheme of things, a couple of footie matches isn't going to make a great deal of difference.

Not unless it's a Millwall game that gets cancelled, anyway.

[togos452]

:confused: I don't recall saying anything about any carnage :confused:

BTW: togos452, do you really need to add all those links to your posts? It's not like people can't find that on their own if they're interested. Especially obvious things like Dakar's homepage or SpeedTV news.

Has the Speed Channel EVER covered the Dakar rally? If so, when? Their website has just one article about the cancellation.

"When you are told of direct threats against the event and when the sinister name of al-Qaida is mentioned, you don't ask for details," Patrice Clerc, who heads the company that organizes the rally, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "It was enough for me to hear my government say 'beware, the danger is at a maximum.'

PensacolaNewsJournal.com (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CAR_DAKAR_RALLY?SITE=FLPEJ&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT)

[faksta]

Couldn't they just change the route or use planes? If I'm not mistaken, it was them who have already used planes in 2001 (2000?) to pass some country - that time it was the possibility of terrorist attack, IIRC.

[go.pawel]

Couldn't they just change the route or use planes? If I'm not mistaken, it was them who have already used planes in 2001 (2000?) to pass some country - that time it was the possibility of terrorist attack, IIRC.

See post #17 above :cool:

[faksta]

See post #17 above :cool:

Mr. FastAsFlash :D

[JRodrigues]

8 of the 15 stages were held in Mauritania.. More than half the rally!!! And the threats were not only to the Mauritania stages.. They were to all rally stages (specially the African ones)

[togos452]

Has anyone ever been to Mauritania?

(country with killings)

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mr.html

Dakar: Yamaha Racing 2008 cancelation statement

Motorsport.com: News channel (http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=277303&FS=CCR)

Homepage - Yamaha Racing (http://www.yamaha-racing.com/Racing/)

[togos452]

Vanguard/Bailey Motorsports 2008 cancelation statement

"The organizers of the race made the right decision. The Dakar is the second most watched sporting event overseas, after the World Cup. It is a high profile target and the remote terrain the race covers isn't very secure," Bailey explains.

Motorsport.com: News channel (http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=277313)

article on team

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/27/sports/othersports/27autos.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin