by Lachlan Bennett and Damian McIntyre, ABC
The future of Targa rallies across the country hangs in the balance following a bombshell decision by Motorsport Australia to suspend permits pending an investigation into the latest fatality in Tasmania.
The organisation — which sanctions and insures the high-speed event — made the decision on Saturday following a string of fatal crashes, with three participants dying within two days during the 2021 event and 59-year-old driver Tony Seymour losing his life last month.
Motorsport Australia chief executive Eugene Arocca said the board had made a difficult decision but had little choice.
“While many competitors acknowledge that motorsport is dangerous, we cannot accept that death is an outcome of competition as has been suggested to us,” he said.
“There are far-reaching consequences following such incidents, whether it be for the first responders who attend, the volunteer officials that are part of the event or witness these incidents, as well as the enormous impact on family and friends.
“There are also insurance and legal ramifications that impact the wider sport when incidents such as this occur.
“There are flow-on effects that follow incidents such as these, widely impacting all aspects of motorsport, including license costs and permit fees for all disciplines.”
Read the full story here: Future of Targa rallies in doubt after Motorsport Australia suspends permits pending investigation into deaths – ABC News
