Chile denies exclusion from 2014 Dakar Rally

 　　SANTIAGO, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chile's Deputy Sports Minister Gabriel Ruiz-Tagle Thursday said he was confident his country will form part of the 2014 Dakar Rally circuit, dismissing rumors¹ a possible route change could shut Chile out.

　　"Chile is not going to lose the 2014 Dakar Rally, it's as clear and simple as that," Ruiz-Tagle told Chilean press.

　　"We have been in permanent contact with the ASO (the rally's organizer) and we continue to negotiate the different options for next year. Chile is going to maintain its key role in Dakar, and what's more, there is nothing to lead us into thinking that we are going to be left out of the next race," he said.

　　Earlier Thursday, Argentinean media reported that Bolivia's possible inclusion in the rally route might push Chile out of the race.

　　Ruiz-Tagle said that after the 2013 Dakar Rally, in January, rally director Etienne Lavigne "congratulated (Chilean) President (Sebastian) Pinera on the organization in Chile."

　　In addition, he said, "it's the racers who are most interested in keeping the rally in (Chile), because it offers the best conditions."

　　The Dakar Rally originally took place in Africa, but political turmoil² led organizers to move the off-road endurance race to South America in 2009, initially³ to Argentina and Chile. Peru was added in 2012.

　　Bolivia has been campaigning to join the route, hoping to boost tourism revenue, and the ASO is considering its inclusion in the next edition.

1 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

3 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。