FIA Sporting Delegate Timo Rautiainen tells Sports that reindeer herders have been moved from two special stages. Negotiations for Power Stage are still ongoing.
11.2. 17: 29 • Updated 11.2. At 6:56 pm
The Swedish World Rally can be organized as planned, believes the Sporting Delegate of the International Automobile Association FIA FIA Timo Rautiainen.
The three special stages of the Swedish World Championship rally this week have been threatened with cancellation. In total, there have been six pieces and more than 100 kilometers under the threat of cancellation, as the quick tales are driven twice in the rally. The Swedish rally is planned to drive over 300 specialty kilometers.
The Sámi village of Rans has appealed to the Swedish Finnish Transport Agency of the decision of the region’s provincial government, as the quick tales are hindering reindeer herding.
– The threat was that the special tests would have to be reduced. Pre -knowledge of the rally has begun and new special stages cannot be invented. If you cancel, you can cancel, but at the moment it looks good, Rautiainen explains.
Power Stage in the beginning of the reindeer
The organizers of the Swedish World Rally have not responded to the Sports interview request. The Finnish Transport Agency commented to Sports on Tuesday that their decision was not yet complete.
According to Rautiainen, this will be agreed directly between the rally organizers and the Sámi community. The end result will also determine the decision of the Finnish Transport Agency.
– I understand that the decision comes based on the outcome of the negotiations.
According to Rautiainen, there is no longer a reindeer herd near the special tests under the threats, but reindeer herders have been transferred to another area. I saw twice a dungeon on Saturday, and on Sunday, Västervik may be driven twice without cancellation or shortening.
On the other hand, the Rally’s closing test and once on Saturday is the Umeå section still under threat of cancellation.
– The rally event director is still negotiating with the farmers for the special test of Umeå. There is still a reindeer herd at the beginning of the clip, Rautiainen explains.
Money may have affected the dispute
According to Rautiainen, money can be the reason why the driving of special stages has been disputed for the very last moments. In Umeå, the Swedish World Rally has been driven since 2022 and so far reindeer herders have received compensation.
This time the route has been designed so that the rally would not interfere with reindeer herding, so the rally organizers did not have to pay compensation.
– In the past, reindeer herders have had to pay financial compensation for the transfer of reindeer herds. No financial compensation was needed this year. In the background (in the complaint) may be that the money has not moved now. Without a doubt, the rally is working towards reindeer herding, says Rautiainen.
If the special tests of the World Rally have to be canceled, the rally route can no longer be modified. Yes, special tests can be shortened. In the World Championships, it is common to can be canceled for safety reasons, such as public behavior.
If reindeer are observed in instant tales, snippets may still have to be canceled for safety reasons. If the number of kilometers of the planned special tests drops below 75 %, the halved World Cup points will be awarded. Sunday and Power Stage’s extra points will be distributed normally if you can drive from extra points.
– I do not see the threat that the scoring points would have to be driven, Rautiainen emphasizes.
The Swedish World Rally will be run from 13 to 16 February. And it is followed moment by moment on the Sports website and the app, where you will find performance tracking and all the most talking videos.