The Eastern Cape’s Great Train Race has been cancelled this year due to differences between Athletics South Africa (ASA) and Eastern Province Athletics (EPA).
The race — in it’s 25th year — had to be called off after ASA and EPA were embroiled in a dispute regarding a controversial ruling over foreign athletes.
According to the EPA, ASA refused to meet with the Eastern Cape body and the local organisers to defuse the situation. This in turn contributed to the withdrawal of sponsor, Spoornet, after a 15-year involvement.
The train race has grown in stature in recent years and was the anchor event in the Nelson Mandela Bay Running Festival. Spokesperson for the festival Cliff Hall said: ”It is a serious setback for the organisers, but more importantly it will disappoint many national club teams, athletes, companies and social teams that show such strong support [at] the event each year.
”In particular, we are saddened that the schools development project will have to be shelved this year. The festival has become the launching pad for the development initiative which started in 2000. One-hundred-and-twenty-four schools from disadvantaged areas were empowered through this initiative last year,” he said.
”We had planned to grow the number to 150 schools in 2005. How we are going to reach the children in these schools now to continue the programme is a huge
challenge for us”. – Sapa