Rallying: Dakar Rally To Return African Homelands Soon

The Dakar Rally will not return to its African homeland any time soon, organisers said Wednesday, as terrorism and civil war on the continent make the world's toughest endurance race a security nightmare

Lima,(APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 09th Nov, 2017 ) :The Dakar Rally will not return to its African homeland any time soon, organisers said Wednesday, as terrorism and civil war on the continent make the world's toughest endurance race a security nightmare.

The race has been staged in South America since 2009 after the scheduled 2008 event was cancelled on the eve of the start because of fears over security in Mauritania.

"I think that it's not possible to imagine returning to work in Africa.

It's not the idea at the moment," said Dakar director Etienne Lavigne on a visit to Lima where the 2018 race starts on January 6. "In Africa, it's very complicated with the security, civil war, terrorism.

It's a shame but that's the way it is." The 40th anniversary of the Dakar takes place next year with Peru returning to the schedule for the first time since 2013. Peru has invested $6 million in hosting their leg of the race.