Dakar 2008 cancelled

[MAX_THRUST]

Sorry fit guns to the cars and show terrorism/terroists we don't give a sh** and we will continue with our lives no matter how much they try to change our ways.

This is disgusting. I appreciate the need for caution, but this is motorsport you are more likely to die racing than you are by a terrorist. Lets get a grip!!!!

I'm basically really dissapointed. There will be alot of money lost this year because of this, and I believe it does have an effect on next years event. How can it not!!!!

[J4MIE]

Sorry fit guns to the cars and show terrorism/terroists we don't give a sh** and we will continue with our lives no matter how much they try to change our ways.

This is disgusting. I appreciate the need for caution, but this is motorsport you are more likely to die racing than you are by a terrorist. Lets get a grip!!!!

So, if you had organised this event and were responsible for the lives of countless competitors, organisers, marshals, spectators and lets not forget locals who could get caught up in it, would you let this event go ahead with a clear conscience despite (reportedly) having clear warnings from known (?) terrorist groups that the event would be targeted?

I'm basically really dissapointed. There will be alot of money lost this year because of this, and I believe it does have an effect on next years event. How can it not!!!!

Sure, I bet everyone involved in the Dakar is feeling very disappointed right now, but take a step back and look at the big picture.

Terrorism works.

[Daniel]

Sorry fit guns to the cars and show terrorism/terroists we don't give a sh** and we will continue with our lives no matter how much they try to change our ways.

This is disgusting. I appreciate the need for caution, but this is motorsport you are more likely to die racing than you are by a terrorist. Lets get a grip!!!!

I'm basically really dissapointed. There will be alot of money lost this year because of this, and I believe it does have an effect on next years event. How can it not!!!!

You fool. These people are competitors. Not soldiers.

At the end of the day it's JUST motorsport. If there is a known danger then the organisers have done the right thing and not risked anyone's life unnecessarily.

[Brother John]

Great news for me. Hope this will be the end from DAKAR.
Mitsubishi, VW and others can put their millions in WRC. mokin:

[Sardalense]

I was today at parc ferme, in Lisbon, and was very sad. I was at the exit of the press conference and some people were crying.

[WRXedUSA]

Cowardly move by the orgainzers.

Nothing like giving Al Qaeda a "moral victory"

I suppose ASO wanted to avert more potential problems (read: causalites) than what they have had stacking up in the past few years with spectators and competitors alike.

Western Africa has always been the "wild west", and in past year, oragnizers have re-routed the rally around countries of conflict. I know it's too late for organizers to recce and re-write the route, but if they are taking this action this year, expect next year to be cancelled as well. They gave Al Qaeda thier bone, now they will expect it, again, and again.

This rally is done. History.


Cowards.

[Rani]

Too bad to lose this great event, perhaps the biggest "adventure" in motorsport. My biggest concern is that the financial and political blows will prove too big and cause the organizers to cancel the race for good. In any case, the lives of everybody involved is a lot more important than a race, and if terrorists were to harm anybody because of the race being run, than running it isn't worth it IMO.

[Daniel]

Cowardly move by the orgainzers.

Nothing like giving Al Qaeda a "moral victory"

I suppose ASO wanted to avert more potential problems (read: causalites) than what they have had stacking up in the past few years with spectators and competitors alike.

Western Africa has always been the "wild west", and in past year, oragnizers have re-routed the rally around countries of conflict. I know it's too late for organizers to recce and re-write the route, but if they are taking this action this year, expect next year to be cancelled as well. They gave Al Qaeda thier bone, now they will expect it, again, and again.

This rally is done. History.


Cowards.

You do know that in the past people have had their vehicles taken at gunpoint? Al Qaeda are not simply after the vehicles like these people were. Al Qaeda wants to kill people. Safety should always be paramount in the minds of organisers of rally events. We can't wrap cars in bubble wrap but we have the choice not to send competitors out when there is a high risk of them being shot or killed by bombs. If this event had gone ahead and in a week people had been killed that would have been a great moral victory for everyone concerned.

I don't want to turn this into a political thread but this has sod all to do with the US and it's war on terror and a lot more to do with the safety of the competitors in the Dakar. At the end of the day it's just a sporting event and no sporting event is worth this sort of risk.

[A.F.F.]

Terrorism works.

Exactly. If you truly believe in your cause, you can change the world.

I'm going to be a terrorist when I grow up

[WRXedUSA]

At the end of the day it's just a sporting event and no sporting event is worth this sort of risk.

That I agree.

But in a wholistic sense, as mentioned above by others, if you cancel, change your life, etc, you are caving into the demands of terrorism. That is what they want. It is our mission to live your life as you would normally. Deny terrorist media attention and demands they crave, and you win.

Let's all remember what Dakar was for these past 20 some years. It was a great adventure, and reminder of times long long ago, of real rallying. It was a good rally, and really, I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did.

I feel sorry for all the competitors and teams that put forth the effort this year, and to those who dreamed of competing in the adventure in the future.