London Marathon offers free entry to runners called 'fat' and 'slow' by officials
Organisers apologises following investigation into abuse of participants at the back of race
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Your support makes all the difference.London Marathon runners who were called “fat” and “slow” by officials, cleaning staff and spectators have been given free entry to next year’s race.
Organisers have apologised to the 678 participants who finished in over seven hours and announced changes to the event in a bid to prevent the abuse.
Runners had complained that they were insulted and forced to dodge clean-up lorries as contractors began dismantling the course while they were still trying to reach the finish line.
Liz Ayres, who was aiming to get round in seven-and-a-half hours, said the comments included “this is a race, not a walk”.
Another person told her: “If you weren’t so fat, you could run.”
After the abuse, she said: “I had runners that were crying – ones saying they were going to go home and quit.”
Course markings, timing mats and water stations were also taken away, she added.
One runner tweeted to say she was “insulted by marshals, sprayed with cleaning chemicals, nearly being taken out by a bin lorry and made to feel like a failure before you’ve even reached the halfway point”.
Others reported suffering a chemical burn and being hit by rubbish.
Following the complaints, London Marathon Events launched an investigation based on online surveys, telephone interviews and CCTV footage.
In an email to the participants, the company said the investigation was unable to identify the “very small number of volunteers and contractors” who were “shouting unhelpful comments to slower runners”.
It added: “A number of participants reported being sprayed by a cleaning vehicle on the Highway and near Canary Wharf and there were also reports and film evidence of aggressive driving by one clean-up vehicle. Further work is ongoing to identify the driver of the vehicle and the evidence will then be passed to the police.”
Some water station volunteers “may not have been as attentive as we would like” in handing out liquids to the slower runners, it added.
Organisers also admitted they failed to order enough large and medium-size finisher t-shirts and too many extra-small and small t-shirts.
The changes being introduced for next year’s race include appointing a senior staff member to monitor the back of the race and providing detailed instructions on the procedures for runners who expect to finish in over seven-and-a-half hours.
London Marathon Events said it would consider starting the clean-up operation later but stated that it was under “huge pressure” to reopen the roads quickly.
“We are sorry that your Race Day experience was not to the standard we set ourselves,” the email adds. “As a result we would be delighted to invite you to be part of the 40th Race Day.”
All runners who finished the 2019 race in over seven hours will be able to claim free entry to the 2019 event.
These runners will receive an email containing an entry link by the end of November.
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