Russian team”Master KAMAZ “will not perform at the Dakar rally marathon due to the need to sign a letter giving a negative assessment of the Russian special operation in Ukraine.
— The participation of Russian athletes in the Dakar rally is due to the need to sign the International Automobile Federation (FIA) questionnaire condemning the Russian special operation in Ukraine. In our opinion, the content of this document is political in nature and also violates the principles of a level playing field for athletes. We believe that it is impossible for us to sign such documents and participate in competitions under such conditions.
Our choice is obvious – we always stand with our homeland, especially when it is in a difficult situation,” the team’s press office said in a statement.
The Dakar 2023 will take place in Saudi Arabia from December 31 to January 15.
KAMAZ-master crews have become 19-time winners of the Dakar (formerly known as Paris-Dakar) in the truck category, and Dmitry Sotnikov has won the marathon rally for the past two years.
Source : MatchTV
