Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 131, June 2020 June 2020 | Page 10

THE RUNNING
MANN
By Stuart Mann
Cancellation Controversy in
the Time of Corona
At lunch time on 14 May, I was taking advantage of a gap between video calls by doing another lockdown run up and
down my driveway. As you can imagine, driveway laps are not particularly interesting, and I welcomed any distraction
from the monotony. Therefore, every vibration on my phone resulted in an excited glance at the screen to see whatever
notification had been delivered. I was about 30 minutes into my regular 10km jog when the latest buzz presented the
e-mail notification, Media Release: 2020 Comrades Marathon cancelled. I didn’t even break stride.
• Why was the CMA putting profits over the
runners?
• Why was the CMA destroying the good name of
the Comrades Marathon in the name of financial
profit?
As one of the affected runners, I decided it was time
to investigate the merit of those charges and take an
objective look at the costs, financials and rationale
behind the no-refund decision.
As the COVID-19 lockdown had drawn on,
it was never a question of if the Comrades
would be cancelled, but when. The
announcement was inevitable and expected, and
there was little shock or surprise from the running
community. However, as news that there would be
“no refunds for local runners” hit social media, there
was an eruption of vociferous hostility towards the
Comrades Marathon Association (CMA), the likes
of which are normally only reserved for government
ministers.
Frustrated runners had already seen the Two Oceans,
Irene and Loskop ultras (the second-, third- and
fourth-largest ultras in the country) cancelled without
refunds, and this was the final straw. (Loskop
subsequently announced on 22 May that they would
in fact be refunding all entrants.) Taking the emotion
(and expletives) out of the furore, the accusations
were:
• Why had the CMA strung runners along and
delayed the inevitable?
• Why did the CMA take substitution entries
during lockdown when the race was likely to be
cancelled?
• Why was the CMA deferring international entries
to 2021, but keeping the entry fee of loyal local
runners without deferring?
• Why is the CMA hanging on to entrance fees
when other races are offering full refunds?
Clearing Up Misconceptions
A primary misconception is that most (or even a
significant portion) of the R42 million budget is spent
on race day. The reality is that a majority of the
budget is spent in the build-up to the event and in
fixed monthly expenses. According to chairperson
Cheryl Winn, the CMA has a fixed monthly cost of
around R950,000 which includes the salaries of 18
full-time staff, rates and utilities charges on three
Pietermaritzburg properties, and the day-to-day costs
associated with running an enterprise. On top of this
there are many marketing, advertising and consulting
expenses incurred during the nine-month build-up
to the race (like the Comrades Roadshows and
Seminars).
Many of the major actual race day costs, like food,
energy drinks and water, are not financial transactions,
as they are sponsored ‘in kind,’ for example by Coca-
Cola and Thirsti. Furthermore, there are substantial
venue hire deposits for the expo at the Durban
International Convention Centre and the finish at
the Moses Mabhida Stadium. (There is a chance the
venue hire deposits will be refunded or deferred to
Images: Stuart Mann & courtesy Comrades Marathon
10
ISSUE 131 JUNE 2020 / www.modernathlete.co.za