Death is too high a price to pay for a win in risky sport

Dubai: Racing at speeds exceeding 300km/hr on a circuit, while competing for the number one title across the finish line, is a challenge drivers are willing to take in high-speed racing competitions. However, with the recent deaths of Italian rider, Marco Simoncelli, in the Malaysian Moto GP and IndyCar driver, Dan Wheldon, last week in a Las Vegas race, organisers of the sports have been forced to re-evaluate safety measures.

Some Gulf News readers accept the risks involved as part of the sport, while others consider the risk of death to be a cost too extreme.

Alexander Zbiorczyk is one Dubai-based reader who doesn't think risking death should be part of the challenge in sports. He said: "Accidents can happen, yes, but then it's not a sport anymore. For me sports are about the challenges and competition."

Zbiorcyzk, who has been following these races for over 10 years, acknowledges that "the drivers themselves have been successfully pushing the boundaries".

Ahmad Eisa agrees that more safety and precaution should be taken in these sports. He said: "I think the death of the MotoGP racer was unfortunate. More can be done to regulate these sports — making sure they are in a safe, controlled environment with quick access to medical aid."

However, Eisa doesn't think that these accidents will be enough to discourage people from racing. "Risk is a part of all sports — you can die while on a motorbike or while getting a cramp when swimming. That doesn't mean people will stop loving a sport," he added.

Another Dubai fan, Titus Joseph, considers risk to be a natural part of any sport.

He said: "Every sport comes with its own risk, no matter what safety measures are taken. A good sportsman understands the risks involved when he exploits his talent and a tragic incident involving the death of Marco Simoncelli should not stop anyone from racing. He was a great racer, indeed."

Ashutosh Shah, a long-time fan of high-speed racing sports, said that while these accidents are unfortunate events, the event must go on. The Abu Dhabi-based race fanatic said: "People are well aware of the risks and if someone is passionate about racing, they will go into it regardless. These incidents won't stop newcomers from joining."

Britsh fan Nasser Hafez, who grew up watching high-speed races, also said that these accidents will definitely not deter people from the sport.

Regardless of improved safety measures and lower risks, fans of high-speed racing events will continue to enjoy watching drivers manoeuvre these powerful machines on the racetrack.