KZNA and ASA to meet with Comrades organisers: ‘We are seeking a win-win situation’

Representatives of Athletics South Africa (ASA) and provincial body KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) will meet with members of the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) next month in an attempt to mend broken ties with the country’s largest and most prestigious ultra-marathon.

“We have combined with ASA and we are going to go and negotiate with Comrades,” KZNA acting president Khulezweni Buthelezi confirmed on Friday.

“It’s a mediation process because I don’t think talking through the media will help us. We have to sit face to face so we can move forward.

“We are hopeful that by the end of September we will have met once or twice, and we are able to sit down and talk like men.”

Long-running conflict

At a special general meeting held earlier this month, CMA members voted to cut ties with KZNA and ASA.

The long-running conflict between CMA and KZNA started a couple of years ago when the provincial body took the Comrades organisers to court to prevent runners outside the province from becoming CMA members.

With KZNA having lost that battle, the CMA then attempted to unaffiliate from KZNA and affiliate itself directly to ASA, with the race organisers reportedly refusing to pay levies of more than R3 million to the provincial body. But ASA turned down this request, insisting the race had to be affiliated to KZNA.

At the launch of the 100th edition of the race last week, it was confirmed the 2027 Comrades Marathon would go ahead, independently from official athletics bodies.

Hoping for an ‘amicable solution’

However, Buthelezi said KZNA still hoped the broken relationship between the unsanctioned race and federations could be mended.

“We are seeking an amicable solution – a win-win situation – by bringing our differences together and negotiating with the board of the Comrades Marathon Association,” he said.

“What we are most interested in is protecting the athletes, the race and the institutions.”