ASA’s policy will drive all the stars away

“Breaking rules isn’t bad when what you’re doing is more important than the rule itself.”

These are the words of American author Kim Harrison, and if athletics officials don’t reconsider their decision to enforce a blanket rule on foreign athletes, they may soon discover how damaging it can be when Harrison’s message rings true.

Rules, of course, are necessary in elite sport, especially when championship medals, prize money and endorsement deals are part of the reward.

But the stark contrast between amateur and elite participants is as vast as the chasm between a world-renowned Michelin Star chef and some chap in his pyjamas burning scrambled eggs.

For the chef, cooking is a career; a life-long odyssey to find the perfect blend of ingredients and master the world’s most succulent culinary delights.

For the amateur cook, it’s all about the end reward. He just wants to eat some food.

Road running, in this regard, is not much different.

For the elite athlete, running is a profession; a life-long quest to hone and perfect a talent in search of glory.

And for the amateur runner, it’s all about the end reward. He just wants to lose weight, improve his health or achieve a personal goal.

As hard as the elite athlete might work, however, his success relies almost entirely on the participation of the amateur, in much the same way as the chef requires the amateur cook to visit his restaurant as a patron if the establishment is to succeed.

The majority of funding and support in South African road running is generated by the thousands of amateur runners who participate on a regular basis.

By purchasing club memberships and licences, and by supporting

Wesley Bo on

the brands that back the elite stars, it is the contribution from the masses at the bottom that keeps the sport afloat.

So it was relatively alarming this week to see Athletics South Africa trying to rope amateur runners into abiding by a rule which can only have any real consequences for the elite few chasing titles and records.

There looks to be two potential reasons that ASA wants all international runners to have clearance from their national federations before they’re allowed to compete here.

Firstly, it will stop unregistered ‘managers’ from bringing foreign athletes into the country without the authority to do so.

Secondly, it will ensure Russian athlete Alexandra Morozova can no longer compete in the country, after ASA tried unsuccessfully to include her in a blanket ban enforced on elite Russian athletes.

ASA’s reasons for the decision are understandable on one hand (athlete managers should be registered) and questionable on the other (Morozova has never been banned by the IAAF), but the consequences of the decision are perhaps of more concern.

Thousands of foreign runners travel here every year to participate in world-class road races.

They contribute annually to the economy, they offer real value to race organisers in terms of entry fees, and they are responsible for a fair chunk of the support that is required to not only keep the sport afloat but also provide a platform for elite local stars to chase their dreams.

People don’t need restaurants to eat food. Close the doors to them and they’ll just eat burned eggs.

Similarly, foreign runners don’t need South African races to keep them happy. Make them jump through hoops, and they’ll just run somewhere else.

While rules may be important when prizes are involved, for the rest of the thousands of participants who actively support road running every weekend, they have a tendency to get in the way.

Local runners might be willing to put up with red tape and bureaucracy, but international visitors might not be as patient.

If ASA enforces this rule across the board, the sport could lose thousands of participants who have until now been satisfied to trade dollars, pounds and euros in return for a chance to take part in some of the world’s best events.

Perhaps ASA should reconsider the application of a blanket rule and ask themselves one question: What’s more important? The rules or the sport?