Coronavirus: Kyoto Marathon joins Tokyo race asking runners to stay in China
- Organisers of both events offer entry to 2021 races if runners living in China choose to stay away this year
- Participants living in China, regardless of nationality, are encouraged to skip race amid virus outbreak
The Kyoto Marathon has followed in the footsteps of the Tokyo Marathon in asking registered runners in China to stay away, as the region battles the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
Organisers of the Kyoto event emailed runners living in China on Friday to tell them that they would receive free entry in to the 2021 event if they did not attend this year’s, which is set to take place on February 16.
There are 380 runners from China registered among the 16,000 registered Kyoto marathoners and while organisers have not made it mandatory for them to stay away they have encouraged their absence.
On Thursday the Tokyo Marathon announced their own policy. Runners living in China will automatically be entered into the 2021 race but will need to pay the registration fee. The entry fee and charity contributions for this year’s race will not be refunded.
Some 1,800 runners living in China registered for this year’s Tokyo Marathon are being asked to stay away, according to reports in the Chinese media. The Tokyo Marathon takes place on Sunday, March 1.