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End of inadmissibility. There is “no additional element to talk about cancellation” of the Dakar, said this Friday afternoon the director of the rally-raid, David Castera, a few hours after the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, raised the possibility. The question of stopping the Dakar-2022 rally in Saudi Arabia «pose» after the explosion which hit a vehicle and which is “may be” linked to a “terrorist attack“, had declared the minister in the morning on BFMTV. However, the minister’s entourage later clarified his remarks, stating: “The question that arises is about what happened and not about the possible suspension of the Dakar 2022.”
David Castera added: “We have reinforced security at bivouacs, hotels, departures and arrivals,” without being able to give any figures.
The Saudi authorities quickly put the explosion in the accident category, minimizing the facts while the organizers displayed their utmost caution. “We told the organizers and Saudi officials to be very transparent about what just happened. […] There have already been terrorist acts in Saudi Arabia against French interests, recalls Jean-Yves Le Drian, referring in particular to the attack in Jeddah in full commemoration of November 11, in 2020. It was important to protect our fellow citizens, to warn.”
A preliminary investigation into attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise was opened Tuesday evening by the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office. “French investigators will go on site”, says the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He adds that he “you have to be very careful” regarding the safety of the rally and the drivers.
At the question : “Should the Dakar have stopped?”, the minister showed himself to be clear this Friday morning: “We thought maybe it was worth giving up on this sporting event […]. The organizers have decided to maintain it, you have to be very careful. And press: “we must at least” that the organizers put “put in place sufficient and reinforced protection systems. I think they did but in any case, the question remains..
Artificial coma
On December 30, while pilot Philippe Boutron was going to the bivouac with five other people, his car suddenly exploded 500 meters after leaving the hotel, without any other vehicle being involved. Philippe Boutron, 61, an experienced Dakar driver, was going to run the legendary race for the ninth time.
He was repatriated Monday morning to France before being hospitalized in Clamart (Hauts-de-Seine), at the Percy military hospital. His son said on Thursday that the victim had been brought out of the artificial coma which served “to alleviate his suffering”. In a press release, his team also mentions the presence “many shards of plastic” in his lower limbs.
Update : at 3:56 p.m., with statements from the Dakar organizers.
