No two ways; marathons must be regulated

The Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) must be applauded for its efforts, though belatedly, to regulate road races, which have sprouted all over the country.

The BAA, as the custodian of athletics in the country, has a responsibility to regulate an industry that can easily attract conmen and con-women. While others see a genuine potential to contribute to athletics development, others are sadly wolves in sheep skin out to use marathons as a cash cow.

That seems to be the overriding objective at the moment as organisers spring from all corners of the country with this or that marathon.

From afar, one can spot a dastardly objective; to make a quick buck. And indeed marathons have proved rewarding for the organisers but this has left athletes reeling.

In the Friday Mmegi edition, there are reports of organisers of some marathons struggling to pay athletes. You wonder how such a situation unfolds. It should be straightforward that organisers should, through the BAA, demonstrate their financial capability to organise a marathon and reward the athletes as per the agreements.

It cannot just be marathons for the sake of it. Athletes make a living out of the sport and they should not be made to run like headless chickens. These are not fun runs and even fun runs have a reward at the end of the day.

The BAA should not budge from its objective to regulate marathons. The noise from the organisers will be loud, but that’s part of the process.

Yes, some of the regulations seem unsustainable and need to be revisited. But those that make sense, including contributing a certain fee to the BAA for athletics development, must remain.

All organisers must obtain a license and demonstrate a sound financial record. We now have a situation where every Jack and Jill wakes up and organises a marathon. Do you think the reason is to contribute to athletics development and the well being of athletes? Your guess is as good as mine. In some instances, the pocket of the organisers is at the front end of the queue.

We have genuine organisers who want to play their part in the development of sport and in some instances, sport tourism. These ones have to be applauded and supported. But the BAA has a duty to weed out chancers who are only interested in their bank balance.

Any marathon organised outside the ambit of the BAA should be considered a social event.

The BAA, as the athletics mother body, has a duty to protect the integrity of the sport and that can only happen when there is regulation. Across industries, there are regulatory bodies and activities are carried out within certain confines. It can’t be business as usual when there are haphazard operations.

The BAA must benchmark from progressive countries like South Africa, which has one of the most organised road races that include the Comrades Marathon and the Two Oceans event. Pick what is applicable to Botswana and apply it in the strictest sense. There must be a professional approach and outlook to the organisation of marathons. Right now Botswana’s name is being dragged in the mud in countries like Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe as some of their runners participated in local marathons but left empty handed despite promises.