The Hackney Half Marathon is still set to go ahead despite a flurry of other sporting events being postponed due to Coronavirus fears.
On Monday 16 March Virgin Sport issued a statement to runners who are set to take part.
“As things stand, no decision has been made to postpone or cancel the Hackney Moves festival weekend, including the Hackney Half Marathon event on 17 May, which is still over eight weeks away,” it said.
“Our team is working closely with the London Borough of Hackney and partners to evaluate all options, including postponement, on a day-by-day basis. As part of this, we’re preparing a range of contingencies to manage risks to our staff, runners, supporters and partners.
“Our aim is to provide a further update on this event by the first week of April, including any relevant updates to our refund and deferral policies.”
Virgin Sport were asked how they can reassure runners concerned by the announcement.
A spokesperson said: “No final decision has been made as of yet. Virgin Sport will continue to monitor the situation closely.
“The event is eight weeks away. During this time, Virgin Sport will be holding regular briefings with the relevant authorities to ensure safety of all runners. The team is working closely with the London Borough of Hackney and partners to evaluate all options, including postponement, on a day-by-day basis.”
The Virgin London Marathon, which was due to commence on Sunday 26 April, has been postponed until October. Elsewhere, UEFA Euro 2020 became the latest victim of the virus and is now set to take place in June 2021.
Despite Prime Minister Boris Jonhson’s announcement that London is “a few weeks ahead” of other parts of the UK in regards to the spreading of the virus, as it stands the Hackney Half is set to go ahead on 17 May.
Runners are being advised to check the website for continuous updates.
