Soweto Marathon experiencing decline in race entry sales 'due to negative publicity'

Race organisers are struggling to sell entries as the African Bank Soweto Marathon initially aimed to secure 50 000 registrations for the 42.2km, 21km, and 10km events scheduled to be held at the FNB Stadium on 5 November. 

However, they are currently grappling to reach a mere 20 000 entries, sparking concerns that this could become one of the most poorly attended races in the competition’s history.

Thokozani Mazibuko, the SMT spokesperson, attributes this challenge to the ongoing controversy associated with the race.

“The sluggish sales of entries can be attributed to the uncertainty of surroundings of the race’s occurrence. The frequent fluctuations in reports regarding its status have caused unease among the participants," Mazibuko told SABC Sport.

The saga began when the public broadcaster's sports desk earlier this year reported that the race had been cancelled, but the SMT later declared that event was back on. 

To exacerbate matters, R100 000 was discovered to have been misappropriated from the SMT’s finances, leading to the freezing of their accounts, as well as board member Steven Khanyile being suspended by the Trust. 

READ: CGA suspends president Steven Khanyile for alleged embezzlement

The matter has since been escalated to Athletics South Africa (ASA), with forensic investigators having been appointed to delve into the financial irregularities, but an outcome has yet to be announced.

On the matter of fund misappropriation, Mazibuko revealed, "We are eagerly awaiting the final findings from the auditors. The SMT has established separate accounts, which remain frozen until the investigations conclude."

In the end, Mazibuko an appeal to both the runners and the broader community to shift their attention away from politics and instead concentrate on the essence of the race.

"When circumstances deviate from the intended course, it becomes imperative to rectify them. Whenever there’s a warning of embezzlement, a thorough investigation is justified and necessary. There’s no harm in conducting such inquiries," he stated.

"In fact, they are essential to safeguard the integrity of the race. In light of this, we earnestly seek support and encourage everyone to concentrate on the race."

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