At a meeting held late last week, Aleck Skhosana the President of Athletics South Africa and Cheryl Winn the Chairperson of the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA), clarified matters on the communication protocol over the long-distance race.

Skhosana and Winn agreed that all further comments and statements during the 30 days of postponements of all athletics activities in the country will only come through the national office of ASA.

“We are both happy with the outcome of our discussion and we are on the same page.  ASA will issue all statements during this period of the State of National Disaster caused by COVID-19, to avoid unintended misinterpretations. Both entities will then re-convene after 15 April to revisit this matter to map the way forward,” said Skhosana.

In her reaction, Winn said that she was happy with the meeting between Skhosana and herself, while at the same time confirming that the CMA will take full guidance from ASA and the government.

The meeting followed unhappiness expressed by the Minister of Sports Nathi Mthethwa earlier in the week, over a statement by the Comrades Marathon that their ultra-distance race will continue as scheduled.

In a previous statement from the CMA issued last week, the organization’s board declared that it was too early to take any drastic decision on the presentation of the world-famous ultra-marathon.

However, the latest statement made it clear that, under the ongoing guidance of the government on the virus, as well as ASA and KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA), the CMA Board will review the situation by the 17^th of April and advise Comrades athletes and stakeholders on the way forward, depending on the status of the virus in the country at the time.

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