China’s sports obsession survived the pandemic, with some determined marathoners running circles in their living rooms during rolling lockdowns. While marquee events like the Beijing Marathon were cancelled for two years, some races were allowed to go ahead – leading to a disaster in 2021. That year, 21 ultra-marathoners, including some top champions, died from hypothermia after extreme weather struck a trail run in the northwestern province of Gansu. More than two dozen officials were punished for being negligent and allowing the runners to go on a mountain race without adequate gear.
Races gradually resumed three years ago. But a series of unrelated incidents last year involving an underage runner, alleged rule-breaking pacers, and complaints about crowd control seemed to push the authorities to prick the marathon bubble by cancelling races. In October, the Chinese Athletics Association released new rules reminding organisers of their legal responsibility for enforcing safety regulations and applying stricter vetting to smaller-scale runs.
HURDLES REMAIN
Setting up sports events can require significant resources, including public services. On Sunday in Hong Kong, buses had to be rerouted, while police were helping with managing the streets and crowds. And with so many competitors, medical emergencies were inevitable. A total of 59 runners were taken to hospitals, with two in critical condition. Such incidents are not unusual for a race of this size.
Taking part in a marathon is estimated to cost about 3,000 yuan (US$430) per person, when factoring in expenses like travel, accommodation, and food. A city like Wuxi stands to earn nearly US$30 million from a single race. At a time when consumer apathy plagues the economy – requiring the government to pump tens of billions of dollars a year into industrial subsidies to get things going – it seems foolish to ignore the needs of people who want to spend.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/china-marathon-boom-running-hong-kong-5873531
