Coronavirus: Two Oceans Marathon cancelled as confirmed cases rise
- The Two Oceans Marathon has been cancelled in the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic
- This comes after an emergency meeting of board members where it was unanimously decided that the event should be cancelled
- The virus continues to take its toll on international sporting events
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An emergency meeting was recently held to decide the fate of the Two Oceans Marathon which was due to take place in April.
IOL reports that board members of the marathon NPC unanimously opted to cancel the even in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Race Director Debra Barnes shed some light on the drastic measure undertaken by the board:
“We have been monitoring the status of the novel coronavirus pandemic as events have unfolded internationally and locally and we’ve consulted with public health experts and authorities.The health and safety of the competitors, staff, sponsors and the global community are paramount and an event of this scale poses far too great a risk to continue. Guided by this priority and global best practice, the TOM NPC has made the difficult decision to cancel the world’s most beautiful ultra marathon for 2020.”
READ ALSO: Coronavirus: Confirmed cases in South Africa increases to 51
The board acknowledged that numerous runners would be disappointed by the cancellation, but attempted to spread some hope by promising to ensure a spectacular experience for the 2021 event.
Meanwhile, Briefly.co.za reported that Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases has spiked to 51.
The information released by the Department of Health revealed that the positive cases presented remain solely citizens who travelled overseas during the pandemic.
This bolstered calls for South Africa to follow international standards and implement travel restrictions in an attempt to limit the continued spread of the virus.
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Source: Briefly News
