33km from the finish at Harrison Flats the runners are starting to feel the aches and pains setting in, as the run the gruelling Comrades Marathon. The Comrades Marathon is an ultramarathon of approximately 88 kilometres which is run annually in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) on Friday suspended the board member accused of posting a racist message. Picture: Shelley Kjonstad/Independent Newspapers
The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) on Friday suspended the board member accused of posting a racist message on a WhatsApp group.
The CMA confirmed the move in a statement on Saturday.
The incident was first confirmed on June 19, when KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) released a statement condemning ‘alleged racist remarks’ made by a CMA board member.
While the identity of the board member was not verified, KZNA said it would investigate the incident, dubbed Vanillagate, seriously.
The Joseph Shabalala Marathon commemorates the life of the Ladysmith Black Mambazo founder. Comrades qualification bus driver Mandla Dladla brought the tunes to the route getting the morning going with ‘Shosholoza’. Here's another LBM melody a little further.#RunSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/LtXHfehMiX
— The Running Mann (Marathons & Mischief) (@runningmann100) February 7, 2024
In the interim, earlier this week, Ann Ashworth said she was fired from her position as Comrades Marathon race director.
Ashworth, the 2018 Comrades Marathon women’s winner, was widely hailed for her work in the position which led up to the 2024 edition of the race.
CMA were quick to say the firing of Ashworth had nothing to do with Vanillagate.
CMA said in its statement on suspending the board member: “Although the Constitution of the CMA does not empower the Board to remove a Board member, Clause 11 empowers the Board to suspend any member pending a disciplinary process.
“The CMA, having considered its core responsibilities, which include, among others, accountability, has resolved that the immediate suspension will save the Association its limited financial resources which would be expended on calling a Special General Meeting (SGM), more so considering that the Annual General Meeting is five months away.
“The SGM has since been shelved until the disciplinary process is finalised. There will be no prejudice to the general membership of the CMA as the member is henceforth suspended.
CMA Chairperson, Mqondisi Ngcobo said: “The CMA reiterates its commitment to serving the best interests of all runners and to ensuring that there is no place for any form of discrimination within the race itself, its organisation or amongst its members”.
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