Athletics South Africa makes major concession in bid to end Comrades Marathon impasse

Athletics South Africa (ASA) has made a significant concession in its ongoing dispute with the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) by recommending that the latter's previous application for direct membership of the national federation be reconsidered. This development comes as pressure mounts for the two organizations to restore their fractured relationship, with the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) acting as mediator and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture also closely involved.

ASA acknowledged in a circular to its general membership that its preferred solution – for the CMA and KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) to restore their previous working relationship – was unlikely to happen in the immediate future. However, the ASA Board has now recommended to its membership that, "to the extent CMA previously applied for direct membership to ASA, it is advisable that their application be entertained".

The proposal is significant as the CMA has maintained that it should have a more direct relationship with ASA rather than operate through KZNA, which ASA recognizes as its provincial member responsible for athletics in KwaZulu-Natal.

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