Restart of sporting action good shift in gears for 2021 Safari spirit

Various disciplines of motorsport are expected to resume next month after seven months of inactivity occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Consequently, the Kenya Motor Sport Federation (KMSF) is targeting three events between now and December for the 2020 drivers’ championship to count.

Only two rounds of the championship, the Guru Nanak and Nyahururu rallies, were held before all sporting events were suspended by the government after Kenya recorded the first Covid-19 case in March.

There were fears of the championship failing to be concluded this year with six events still pending. The good news is that the KMSF is working around the clock to resume motorsport action as soon as possible by strictly following the FIA Return to Motor Sports Guidelines issued last June.

This means that motorsport will be expensive especially in areas of testing, screening, and social distancing that require the presence of qualified medical personnel on  rally locations.

The KNRC is composed of eight rounds of which at least five events must be held in a worst-case scenario to determine the driver’s titles in various classes of competition.

The FIA resumed the World Rally Championship (WRC) recently in Estonia (September 6-9) and Turkey last weekend to test the waters and so far, everything has gone on well particularly in controlling spectators while following social distancing and other protocols.

Virus evolves

The FIA Return to Motor Sport Action Guidelines are based on input from various experts including the World Health Organisation (WHO) with the understanding that the Covid-19 virus continues to evolve at a rapid rate.
Therefore, the document is designed for use by FIA affiliate organisations such as the KMSF for use in motorsport events run in accordance with the provisions of the FIA International Sporting Code (ISC) and its appendices, says the federation.

Primarily the guidelines are intended to offer direction on the measures recommended to minimise the risks to the health of participants at such events in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The FIA further says that these guidelines will need to be adapted to fit within the ever-changing risk environment and particularly the national, regional, or local laws applicable to the jurisdiction of various countries.

Like all other affiliates, the KMSF is required to ensure that they provide a privacy notice to participants, explaining the purposes for which personal data will be processed. If the federation intends to ask for consent to any of the processing, they should only rely on consent when it is freely given.

For example, in the context of pre-event screening and testing, this could mean making clear to participants that there is no obligation to attend a rally and that there will be no detriment for employees who do not attend.

Rekindle spirit

With the above already in place, there is a heightened level of preparedness as mechanics continue working around the clock to service the cars that have been lying idle in garages since March.

The cars must be tested and consistent competitors will be polishing their act in readiness for the action once the KMSF issues dates of a fresh calendar.

This turn of events is the impetus the country needs to rekindle the Safari Rally spirit which was dimmed by the Covid-19 Pandemic that affected domestic and international sporting events across the globe.

The national championship serves the technical arms of officials who control the sport and 2020 was very important for them to acquaint themselves with FIA rules before serving in the WRC Safari Rally next year and beyond.

Kenya is required to use the KNRC to help volunteer officials understand the current WRC international regulations in readiness for the 2021 World Rally Championship Safari whose date will be announced by the International Motorsport Federation (FIA) later this year.

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