By News Desk
Organisers of this year’s London Marathon on Friday postponed the event following outbreak of Coronavirus in United Kingdom (UK).
The event was earlier scheduled for next month, April, in London before the virus broke out in the country, resulting in its postponement to October since its launch in 1981.
London Marathon director, Hugh Brasher, said: “The world is in an unprecedented situation, grappling with a global pandemic of Covid-19, and public health is everyone’s priority”.
The marathon organisers stressed that every runner with a marathon place will be eligible for the new October date, but they can claim a refund if they want to.
“We know how disappointing this news will be for so many – the runners who have trained for many months, the thousands of charities for which they are raising funds and the millions who watch the race every year,” added Brasher.
“We know that there will be many, many questions from runners, charities and others and we ask you to please bear with us as we work through the detailed planning process to deliver the 2020 London Marathon on its new scheduled date.”
The event, which had 43,000 runners competed last year, with £66.4m raised for charity, was also scheduled to incorporate Team GB trials for this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
British Athletics says it hopes to organise a separate marathon trial specifically for the Olympics for the end of April, likely to be in a closed location with limited numbers.
Aside from the London marathon, other events scheduled for April have been canceled. The Manchester Marathon, scheduled for Sunday, 5 April, has also been postponed, with organisers hoping to hold the race on an alternative date in the autumn.
And the Brighton Marathon, due to take place on Sunday, 19 April, has been rescheduled for 20 September.
London Marathon organisers say every runner with a marathon place will be eligible for the new October date, but they can claim a refund if they want to.
