Athletes South African has announced that the Comrades Marathon, due to take place on June 14, has been postponed indefinitely.
In a statement the Comrades Marathon Association said the new date is to be determined by ASA, KZN Athletics and the Comrades Marathon Association.
“In compliance, the suspension of all athletics activities is therefore also extended. As a responsible national federation, ASA accepts that the protection of all lives outweighs everything else. We also note that everyone is affected the same way by this law and this include athletes, coaches, event organisers, athletes’ representatives, administrators and communities.
“As it stands, however, let us prioritise the safety and health of every person, so that we can all return to our athletics programmes once it is considered safe to do so. We urge everyone to join hands with the Government to fight this pandemic by obeying regulations of the lockdown,” read the statement.
The Chairperson of the Comrades Marathon Association, Cheryl Winn, said: “CMA’s position is that there is no priority greater than the health, safety and welfare of our runners, volunteers, supporters, stakeholders and the lives of our fellow South Africans. Therefore, any decision on the eventual fate of the 2020 Comrades Marathon will be taken in conjunction with ASA and KZN Athletics.
“CMA also reiterated its advocacy for complete compliance with all regulations, guidelines and directives pertaining to the National State of Disaster, as well as pledging its total cooperation and support for ASA towards restoring some sort of equilibrium to the sport of athletics in South Africa in the coming weeks and months.”