12 noon Friday 4th January Reuters reports that the 30th Dakar Rally
has been cancelled due to security concerns in Mauritania where four
French tourists were killed last month, organisers said.

France-based Amaury Sport Organisation, in charge of the 6,000km
rally, said in a statement they had been advised by the French
government to cancel the race which was due to begin on Saturday from
Lisbon.

They said direct threats had also been made against the event
by "terrorist organisations".

The race, originally known as Paris-Dakar, has been held
uninterrupted since 1979 although stages have been cancelled in the
past for safety reasons.

"The organisers of the Dakar have taken the decision to cancel the
2008 edition of the rally scheduled from the 5th to the 20th of
January between Lisbon and Senegal's capital," Amaury Sport said.

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