THE third annual Hong Kong-Shenzhen cross-border marathon looks certain to be cancelled following a demand for a $500,000 ''administrative'' fee by the Shenzhen Amateur Athletic Association.
The SAAA have almost doubled their fee for helping stage the event after collecting $280,000 for the last race.
The demand has left organisers the Hong Kong Amateur Athletics Association - who incurred massive losses in staging the first two marathons - ready to scrap the prestige event.
HKAAA chairman William Ko admitted last night that the February 20 race was in serious jeopardy, adding: ''We can't afford it.'' He said he had expected an increase in the fee - covering the huge amount of manpower needed to ensure the smooth running of the race on the other side of the border - but that the latest figure was simply too much.
Ko said the HKAAA would consider the demand from Shenzhen and that a final decision on whether to proceed with the event would be taken next week.
The massive fee increase from across the border is a huge blow to the HKAAA, who are understood to have been left $250,000 in arrears after the second race was staged earlier this year.