COMRADES Marathon Association (CMA) has apologised for cutting the race prematurely for 572 runners.
This year, comrades Marathon runners could not finish their race because they were taken out of the race.
The unfair cut-offs happened in Pinetown and Sherwood points.
This didn't sit well with the runners as they felt sabotaged.
The CMA has acknowledged their mistake and offered a 50% discount for the 2024 CMA entry fee.
The Comrades Marathon Association chairman, Mqondisi Ngcobo, said: “We've extended an olive branch to all 572 identified athletes who were affected by the Pinetown and Sherwood cut-offs in June this year. The CMA Board has approved the recommendation for these athletes to receive a 50% discount on their entry fee for the 2024 Comrades Marathon.”
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“We understand that some runners were left disappointed at being stopped at the Pinetown and Sherwood cut-off points and have not been able to proceed with their race. These athletes have been identified and contacted by the CMA office with regard to their 50% discount on next year’s Comrades Marathon entry fee,” said Ngcobo.
“CMA would like to apologise to the affected athletes and is, therefore, extending this generous entry discount as a consolation for the oversight. The list of athletes will be flagged on the entry system when entries for the 2024 Comrades Marathon open in the latter part of next month," Ngcobo said.
Runner Brian Ntombela told Daily Sun that it was good that CMA realised and accepted its mistake.
“However, CMA has a lot to fix. This mishap is just the tip of an ice bag. I feel that CMA doesn’t care about us. I say this because the entrance fee is too high, yet we always sleep on the floor, and the food is bad. I feel they need to do better than this,” said Brian.
