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[Scott]

WTF??

Vatican says Dakar Rally 'irresponsible'

January 11, 2007 - 7:09AM

The Vatican newspaper on Wednesday strongly condemned the Dakar Rally as a bloody, irresponsible, violent and cynical attempt to impose questionable Western tastes on the developing world.

An editorial in L'Osservatore Romano titled "Paris-Dakar: The Bloody Race of Irresponsibili ty", slammed the race a day after South African motorcycle rider Elmer Symons died during the fourth stage in the Morocco desert.

"The Paris-Dakar, a race which many classify as a sporting event, in reality has very little to do with healthy competition," the editorial said.

"The trail of blood which grows longer from year to year on the route of the race instead underscores the undeniable component of violence that lies behind every attempt to export Western models to human environments and ecosystems that have little to do with the West," it said.

The Vatican newspaper said the race and its sponsors betrayed a "cynicism" that ignores local realities. It called the wrecks of cars, trucks and motorcycles abandoned in the desert "rusty monuments to irresponsibili ty".

The two-week race, which no longer starts from Paris, has claimed 49 lives in its 29-year-existence, 24 of them competitors.

[motel6]

What do you expect from a country that still speaks Latin?  :mrgreen:

[Nickle]

What inspired them to write that?  I just can't find a link between the Vatican and the Dakar Rally.

[navyfam1]

Here's a few links  

www.motoring.c o.za/index.php?fArticleId=3621026

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Vatican-says-Dakar-Rally-irresponsible/2007/01/11/1168105081493.html

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=176166

http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Home/0,,2-9,00.html

[Gallep]

See what happens when a German steps into a little more power? :twisted:  :nuts:

[TheMessenger]

The WHO?  :roll:

The world has enough problems with religion vs. government now they want to go against racing ? What's with those people ?

[Southcross]

the Vatican earns a :gianteyeroll:  who has the image?

[The Asshole]

hmmmmm........