OPINION: The Comrades Marathon could become unsanctioned, but is it the right decision?

Comrades Marathon Association members need to ask some important questions before they vote this weekend. Just because you can do something, it doesn’t mean you should. A lot has been said about the Comrades Marathon potentially breaking away from its affiliations to national and provincial federations. And while some administrators have claimed this is not possible, the race organisers absolutely have the right to hold an unsanctioned event. This is not unprecedented in South African athletics. The popular parkruns held across the country every weekend, which attract more participants than any other athletics event in SA, are unaffiliated. However, with Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) members voting at a special general meeting on Saturday to either remain affiliated to KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) and Athletics South Africa (ASA) or become unsanctioned, it’s important that some crucial questions are asked. Asking the right questions Perhaps the two main issues revolve around municipal assistance and technical officials. Without the assistance of KZNA, the CMA will need to communicate directly with the eThekwini and Msunduzi municipalities in order to ensure roads are closed and available to be used. Is this possible, and if so, do the organisers have assurance that this will happen? In terms of technical officials, can the CMA utilise the services of ASA registered individuals? Are technical officials recognised by ASA allowed to operate at unsanctioned events? Without these people ensuring the rules of the sport are followed, performances of elite athletes will not be recognised and they won’t be considered when national teams are selected for international ultra-distance championships. For the same reason, the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) needs to test elite athletes after the race. Is the CMA in direct communication with SAIDS, and is the anti-doping body willing to test athletes at an unsanctioned event? In addition, it’s important for CMA members to confirm whether ASA or KZNA have the right to ban or suspend individuals who participate at Comrades if the race is unsanctioned. Could entering Comrades, if it is not affiliated, have an effect on runners being able to join affiliated clubs? Do ASA licences still need to be purchased to participate at Comrades, which has been the case for decades, or will that rule be scratched? And what impact will that have on the funding models of KZNA and ASA? The CMA leadership might be able to answer all these questions, but to ensure people are making the right choice in a decision that could have a major impact on road running in South Africa, it’s important that they are asked before members submit their votes.