The death of young rider Marco Simoncelli last Sunday stunned the world of sports, and not only.

The 24-year-old Italian biker died of wounds sustained after he was run over by two other colleagues as he slipped off his own bike in one of the turns at the Sepang circuit during the second lap of the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Such incidents are common in motorcycling, and very often the riders end up with minor injuries and a dent to their ego. This time, Simoncelli was not so lucky and, in spite of all the efforts by the medical team, he did not survive the impact.

And, in the middle of all that drama, Simoncelli’s father was thinking of donating his son’s vital organs to people who need them. Unfortunately, due to cardiac failure, this was not possible.

Simoncelli might not have been as popular as other riders who have won races and championships. But his curly long fair hair made him immediately recognisable to the fans, and his high spirits during press conferences made him one of the most sought-after riders by journalists.

Sadly, he will no longer be entertaining the motorcycle world with his wit off the circuit and daredevil riding. Italy has lost one of its leading sportsman; sport in general will miss him.

Each time a fatal accident happens, the questions about safety in dangerous sport such as motorcycling start coming from all quarters. But each time, after the initial shock, sport moves on to the next race. Until the next accident happens, that is, when the talk about danger starts all over again.

The show must go on, it is said. Simoncelli is watching us and would not have wanted the sport to suffer, it is claimed. The good die young, it is repeated over and over again.

Maybe we say so to appease our collective conscience, and try to forget that someone has died, that parents have lost a child and that a girlfriend has lost her loved one.