Safari Rally gets the axe.

The FIA, motorsport's governing body, has announced that the Safari Rally has been dropped from the 2003 World Rally Championship calendar.

Following a World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris today [Wednesday], the FIA released details of the 2003 calendar and just 12 rounds to date have been given a place in the WRC.

The statement read: "The Inmarsat Safari Rally has been excluded from the 2003 Championship calendar because the necessary guarantees for the event had not been given."

The two rallies thought to be vying for the final slot in the championship, the Cyprus Rally and the Anatolian Rally (Turkey), will both be included in the championship calendar on dates to be confirmed.

Meanwhile the main changes to the programme include shifting Rally New Zealand to the start of the year and Rally Australia to September.

The 2003 campaign will again kick off with the Monte Carlo Rally and will conclude, as has been the case for some time with the Rally of GB, although this is subject to "the observers' reports on the 2002 event." Rallye Deutschland is also provisional - "subject to an examination of safety issues by the FIA."

2003 FIA World Rally Championship calendar#:
Rally Monte Carlo 22-26 JanuaryRally Sweden 5-9 FebruaryRally New Zealand 9-13 AprilRally Argentina 7-11 MayAcropolis Rally 4-8 JuneRallye Deutschland* 23-27 JulyRally Finland 6-10 AugustRally Australia 3-7 SeptemberSanremo Rally 1-5 OctoberTour de Corse 15-19 OctoberRally Catalunya 22-26 OctoberRally GB** 5-9 November

* Subject to an examination of safety issues by the FIA Safety Commission.
** Subject to the observers' reports on the 2002 event.

# The Cyprus Rally and the Anatolian Rally (Turkey) will be included in the 2003 Championship calendar on dates to be confirmed.