Dakar Rally news

Total dismay is all that’s left in Belem, the city where the 30th edition of the Dakar Rally was supposed to start. Security measurements are the reason the French organisation decided to bow to the threats of terrorists who planned to strike the event this year.

On the 24th of December, four French tourists were murdered by a group of people linked to Al-Qaeda. Some hours later, three soldiers were slaughtered as well. The A.S.O., responsible for the organisation of the Dakar Rally, swiftly deliberated with the Mauritanian government to extort some sort of safety measurements. After intensive deliberation some guarantees seemed granted, allowing the competitors to follow a safe route.

But on the second day of deliberation in Lisbon, the government withdrew their guarantees, creating a horrifying dilemma. The A.S.O. had to choose between an unsafe event and rewarding a threat.

On the morning of Friday, January 4, 2008, the A.S.O. decided not to take any risks with the safety of the contenders and their teams. Even before the official announcement of this decision, the deliberation centre had already been dismantled, clearly indicating the end of this year’s rally.

Among the abundantly prepared teams there’s sheer consternation. There’s understanding for the harsh decision but some question the amount of investigation for alternatives. A year of intensive preparation brutally ends, so they wonder if a shorter or adapted version would have been possible.

There’s talk of alternative Dakar Rallies in the near future. What’s more, the organisation claims not to let terrorism rule and wants to organise a 30th edition in 2009, while safeguarding the security of the teams. But for now, nothing is certain and there’s nothing left to do for everyone involved in the Dakar Rally than to take their loss and keep a keen eye on the future.