Athletics SA considers offering Comrades Marathon an olive branch

The Athletics South Africa (ASA) board has done an about-turn on a previous decision in an attempt to mend broken ties with the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA), albeit with some conditions.

Following long-running conflict between provincial body KwaZulu-Natal Athletics and the CMA, the organisers had attempted to affiliate the race directly with ASA, but the national federation had denied this request.

In response, CMA members voted to sever relationships with governing athletics organisations, confirming the popular ultra-distance race would be held independently in 2027.

However, in a letter to ASA members sent on Friday, the federation’s acting chief executive Terrence Magogodela said the ASA board had recommended that the request from the CMA to be sanctioned directly by ASA be accepted.

“The ASA board has to be mindful of its obligation to harmonise, regularise and preserve relationships that lead to enhancement of the sport in the country,” Magogodela wrote.

“In the circumstances the board of ASA has resolved to recommend to its membership, that to the extent that CMA previously applied for direct membership to ASA, it is advised that their application be entertained.

“It is a well known fact that the race has a national and international interest with athletes from across the country and various other countries participating in it.”

KZNA must have oversight and revenue

Nonetheless, Magogodela told members the ASA board was not willing to sideline KZNA completely.

“ASA will not alienate KZNA from oversight and a financial interest in the revenue generated from the hosting of the race.”

However, race levies paid to KZNA remained a contentious issue, with the CMA having previously questioned how the money was spent after reportedly refusing to pay the provincial body more than R3 million in levies after this year’s race.

Magogodela said an ASA special general meeting would be held on Monday night where the council would vote on the board’s recommendations.

Khulezweni Buthelezi, the KZNA acting president, had revealed on Friday that representatives of ASA and KZNA were planning to meet with CMA members next month in an attempt to find a way forward.