Chile to miss out on Dakar action next year

Environmental impact has put an end to Chile’s hopes of being part of next year’s Dakar rally for a second consecutive year.  This decision was opposed by 42 deputies, enough to veto the 33 who did approve the decision while 17 abstained.

The minister of sport, Natalia Riffo, says that the country is already striving to cover the costs of disaster relief caused by severe flooding. The unavoidable environmental impact caused bikes, cars and trucks recklessly zigzagging across Chile’s fragile ecosystems will see arguably the toughest section of dune driving deleted from the route map.

Prohibitive costs from Dakar’s organisation committee (ASO) has thrown another spanner in the works. For Chile to host a stage of the Dakar it would need to come up with an estimated R50 million Rand – all but an impossible and unfair demand for a sporting event held in a developing country.

This year’s Dakar was criticised for re-routing around the notoriously rough and treacherous dune stages which have long had a decisive role in the overall finishing order.

Will Chile’s withdrawal from Dakar participation provide the necessary impetus to move the rally back to its African origins? That has been a rumour for the last few years and there’s no denying Africa provided the grounds for rally’s greatest duels between man and machine.