The Malta Marathon Organising Committee (MMOC) has accepted full responsibility for the incident during last Sunday’s event which led to the lead car taking a wrong turning with the result that four runners went astray.

In a statement issued yesterday, the MMOC said that during the full marathon, two of the four runners led astray, the Moroccans El Felhi and El Barouki managed to remain in contact with the lead car at all times and were led back onto the route and able to continue the race. 

The MMOC added that the two others, Dutchman Neals Strik and local athlete Jonathan Balzan, unfortunately lost contact with the lead vehicle and were not able to follow it back onto the race route. At this point, and for this reason, they dropped out of the race.

The statement said the MMOC has consulted the IAAF rule book in light of the following facts:

a) the Moroccan athletes ran further than the official race distance; b) they were under the visual supervision of a race official at all times and c) by running off course, the athletes did not gain any material advantage. 

For all of the above reasons the MMOC has officially awarded them first and second place in the 25th Malta Marathon 2010.

Without in any way wishing to play down the negative impact of this incident on the four runners concerned, the MMOC has already held open and candid meetings with the Moroccan and Dutch runners concerned and all three have expressed themselves completely satisfied with the way the unfortunate incident has been handled by the MMOC.  All three have accepted the MMOC’s invitation to return to Malta next year to once again take part in the Malta Marathon.

Even with the best will in the world, there is no way this incident can be undone. The MMOC conditionally and without prejudice intends to reasonably compensate Jonathan Balzan for prize money he may have been denied by this incident, despite the fact that his own stated anticipated and predicted time would not have entitled him to any prize money. The MMOC feels this compensation could enable him to run a marathon abroad in lieu of this missed opportunity.

The MMOC said it deeply regretted the incident and will do everything humanly possible to ensure that such an incident will never happen again.

Despite the unfortunate nature of this incident, the MMOC feels that last Sunday’s event was an immensely satisfying one for the vast majority of participants in the record entry field of over 1,400 competitors. The MMOC again expressed its appreciation for the vital role played by the sponsors, partners, government agencies, officials and helpers.