Claims that two of SA's biggest road races will be cancelled amount to little more than fear mongering.
If you’re a road runner planning to participate in the next editions of the Soweto Marathon or the Two Oceans ultra-marathon, you might be concerned that these events will be cancelled.
You have nothing to worry about. The reports and social media posts suggesting they might be scratched are based on fear mongering by disgruntled individuals.
In the case of Two Oceans, the situation is simple.
This year, the organisers allowed too many runners to participate, which landed them in hot water with the City of Cape Town for defying safety restrictions.
And while the municipality did state it would withdraw its support of the race, there was never a claim by the city that it would be cancelled. There is almost zero chance of this happening.
The Two Oceans ultra-marathon brings more than R1.5 billion into the city, and if the race is scratched, the people who stand to be hurt the most are the people of Cape Town.
What the city has done is told the race organisers it wants a turnaround strategy implemented, and it makes sense that the municipality would want assurances that this year’s blunder doesn’t happen again.
Working together with the organisers to fix issues around the race is an obvious way to move forward without affecting runners or the people of Cape Town.
Nobody stands to benefit if the race is cancelled, and it would be a senseless decision which will only occur if the organisers don’t apply the assurances and changes the city is requesting.
Soweto Marathon will also go ahead
In the case of the Soweto Marathon, things are far more complicated, but claims that the race will be cancelled are nefarious.
Due to alleged misappropriation of funds and the suspension of some trustees by Athletics South Africa around a broadcast rights controversy, the Soweto Marathon Trust (SMT) was temporarily frozen.
Instead, the race is now being organised by a non-profit company (formed by the same Soweto clubs which are beneficiaries of the SMT) as a vehicle to ensure the race will go ahead.
This is a temporary measure while issues around the SMT are being resolved, and though the organisers have had to work hard to ensure their partners are not chased away by the poor publicity created by claims that the race could be cancelled, they are ploughing ahead.
The race is going to be pushed back a few weeks from its usual date in early November due to a clash with the G20 Summit to be held in Johannesburg, but there is no reason to believe it will be called off.
If you’re hoping to run the Soweto Marathon later this year, or the Two Oceans ultra-marathon next year, your entry fee will not be wasted and your efforts in preparation will not be futile.
Unless there are major changes behind the scenes which derail processes, both these races will go ahead as planned.
