2008 Dakar cancelled

[Bob]

The 2008 Dakar Rally has been cancelled.

Four French tourists were killed in Mauritania in December; eight of the fifteen stages of the rally were due to pass through the African republic.

The event organisers, the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), said there had been direct threats against the race issued by terrorist groups. In a statement, the ASO said "Following several consultations with the French government and taking into account its firm recommendations, the organisers of the Dakar have taken the decision to cancel the 2008 edition of the rally.”

"Based on the current international political tension and the murder of four French tourists but also and mainly the direct threats launched directly against the race by terrorist organisations, no other decision but the cancellation could be taken.

As regards the future of the rally, the ASO added "The Dakar is a symbol and nothing can destroy symbols. The cancellation of the 2008 edition does not endanger the future of the Dakar."

The Dakar Rally had been held uninterrupted since 1979 although stages had been cancelled in the past.

[xwhatsit]

This is really shit.

It better continue next year. You always read about things like this that stop one year (World War, etc.) and just lose momentum and never continue. I hope what he says about the Dakar being a symbol is true.

Can't they just ride around Mauritania?

[sAsLEX]

Just saw that on the BBC!

Just have a few AC-130s following the riders would be my solution

[awayatc]

Got stuck in Mauritania's desert once for a few weeks, Polisario freedomfighters wanted the "Spanish Sahara" ....but Morocco contested this good for nothing sandpit , untill it got back the territory between 2 Spanish cities Ceuta and Melilla in Northern Morocco! (No Spanish police and the Moroccons have no jurisdiction and the drugs are so cheap..oops wrong forum....)
Spain does not want to do this untill it gets Gibraltar back...
So you see it's the Poms fault again....

[awayatc]

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The 2008 Dakar Rally has been cancelled.

Four French tourists were killed in Mauritania in December; eight of the fifteen stages of the rally were due to pass through the African republic.
.

Tourists in Mauritania?

Yeah right....

[denill]

Did you read CycleNews.Com: The Dakar's Been Cancelled:

[Dutchee]

Gutting. Probably a good call, but would've been damned hard to make.
Bloody terrorists.

[James Deuce]

Bring back Colonial Empires.

[merv]

Yep things compared to the days when the Poms were in control are looking pretty sick.

[James Deuce]

Actually the French had most of that part of Africa, hence the Paris-Dakar route.

[dmc]

Good old Al-Qaeda have screwed things again, because of threats this years Dakar has had to been cancelled.

[imdying]

Wow, that's a shame

[James Deuce]

Thread number three about the Dakar being canceled.

See Conquey? There ARE reposts.

[sAsLEX]

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Thread number three about the Dakar being canceled.

See Conquey? There ARE reposts.

No but we have different opinions in all three threads........ which we couldn't have in one thread

[James Deuce]

Yes good point! Maybe Conquey is on to something!