Durban - South Africa has opened its doors to Russian athletes for next week’s Comrades Marathon, the world’s largest and oldest ultramarathon, even though they have been banned from participating in international events by several world sporting bodies because of doping scandals and the Ukraine invasion.
Organisers of the Comrades Marathon this week confirmed that 33 Russian athletes would take part in the 89km race from Pietermaritzburg to Durban next Sunday.
The marathon is making a return after it was last held in 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Russian athlete Alexandra Morozova has been billed as the top contender among the women in this year’s edition of the Ultimate Human Race after finishing on the podium all three previous times she had entered.
Comrades Marathon race director Rowyn James said they took their lead from Athletics SA, the national federation, and had not been advised whether the Russian athletes would be banned.
“Depending on what Athletics SA says to us, that’s how we will treat them, but at the present moment, yes, they entered and they are able to run,” said James.
News of the athletes’ participation coincided with a visit by Defence Minister Thandi Modise to Moscow this week to attend a conference on international security at the invitation of Russia’s Defence Minister, General Sergei Shoigu.
Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans’ spokesperson Cornelius Monama said Modise would discuss ongoing global security challenges with her counterparts from other countries.
“South Africa stands ready to work with all peace-loving nations of the world, through relevant multilateral bodies, to contribute meaningfully towards lasting peace in the world,” he said.
This week The Elders visited Kyiv and called for increased international support for Ukraine.
The Elders, founded by former President Nelson Mandela on July 18, 2007, is an independent group of global leaders working together for peace, justice and human rights.
The group stressed that neutrality was not a moral option in the face of continued Russian aggression.
In a statement, Ban Ki-moon, Deputy Chair of The Elders and former Secretary-General of the UN, said: “Our visit to Bucha and Irpin left us in no doubt as to the appalling suffering Russia is inflicting on the Ukrainian people, and we condemn in the strongest terms the actions of Russian forces at these sites and elsewhere.”
Ban Ki-Moon said Ukraine’s fight mattered to every country that valued its own sovereignty.
He and fellow Elder Juan Manuel Santos, the former President of Colombia and Nobel Peace Laureate, also urged the Ukrainian government to make its case for support in capitals around the world.
“Public solidarity from governments, particularly in Africa, Asia and Latin America, is essential to keep the world’s attention on Ukraine’s struggle and bring about an eventual end to Russia’s war,” they said.
In 2019 Russia was banned from participating in international sports competitions for four years, reduced to two on appeal, after the World Anti-Doping Agency discovered that the country had been running a state-sponsored doping scheme.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Russian athletes have been prohibited from participating in a number of high profile events.
The Independent on Saturday