FIA motor sport safety seminar gets underway
The FIA-funded motor sport safety seminar got underway here yesterday as 57 participants are attending.
The vice-President of the Automobile Association of Tanzania (AAT), Gautam Chavda, was the guest of honour to open the seminar aimed at minimizing deaths and injuries to human beings during motor sport events, particularly rallies.
All invited delegates, including five FIA instructors, arrived in time for the event expected to wind up today at Tanga Beach Resort hotel.
During his opening speech, Chavda said safety is of a paramount importance for drivers, navigators, spectators and all people involved in the organization of rally events.
He also urged delegates to cooperate with the FIA instructors during the seminar.
He wished all participants a successful deliberation and expressed his sincere appreciation to all FIA instructors who honoured the invitation to travel all the way to Tanga.
The AAT chief executive officer, Yusuf Ghor, said his office has worked overnight to ensure the preparations for the seminar are completed in time. He said so far everything is on the right track as the seminar is underway.
The seminar, which was also held here for the first time in 1998 and last year, intends to improve road safety measures for both drivers, pedestrians as well as traffic police. It also focuses on avoiding fatalities to motor rally drivers, navigators and their crew members and spectators.
Motor sport marshals and stewards who are actually involved in rally events have also been invited to attend the seminar as a way to increase cooperation in curbing accidents and reducing fatality.
Besides marshals and stewards, the seminar has also invited stakeholders from the motor rally fraternity including medical personnel, paramedics, time keepers and sports reporters.
Unlike the previous edition’s seminar, this one will also see delegates taking part in practical applications as a way to impart knowledge to the entire fraternity of motor sport stakeholders.
Tanga city mayor Omar Guledi is expected to close the seminar this evening as delegates will be returning home.
Among the FIA experts who have been dispatched to facilitate the smooth running of the seminar include Tanya Kutsenko, who fulfills the role as a Project Manager, and Stuart Murray acting as Deputy Project Manager.
Both have been conducting certain modules of the training curriculum to compliment the lead trainers.
Event communications is Angus Duthie while Charles Reynolds is in charge for Rally Marshals Training Module.
Timekeeping trainer is Ronan Morgan who has been busy yesterday on the safety measures improvement and crowd control during rallies.
Morgan used the entire morning session detailing on motor rally chain of command with topics involving scrutiny of cars before an event, roles of stewards and crowd control measures.
According to the programme, there will be an examination at the end of the training today ahead of some practical applications on some of the safety measures.