Athletics SA recommends reconsidering Comrades’ direct membership; urgent SGM called

Athletics South Africa (ASA) has moved to defuse a simmering dispute over the Comrades Marathon by recommending that the Comrades Marathon Association’s (CMA) earlier application for direct membership of the national federation be reconsidered, and by convening an urgent Special General Meeting (SGM) on 31 August to vote on the proposal.

What ASA has done

In a circular to members, ASA acknowledged that its long-standing preference — that the CMA and KwaZulu‑Natal Athletics (KZNA) should restore their historic working relationship — is unlikely to be realised in the near term. The board therefore recommended that the General Council entertain the CMA’s previous application for direct affiliation to ASA.

“ASA’s stance has always been that KZNA and CMA should exhaust all efforts to reach agreement and restore the working relationship that prevailed for many years,” the circular states. “But the ASA Board has now come to the conclusion that for present purposes, that wish may be a bridge too far to be achieved.”

ASA said it would waive the normal 21‑day notice period and hold the SGM at 18:30 on Monday, 31 August. The move follows mounting pressure from government and sports bodies, with the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) playing mediator and adviser roles.

Why this matters

The Comrades Marathon is a marquee event on South Africa’s sporting calendar. Earlier this month ASA confirmed the 2027 centenary race had not been sanctioned and removed the event from its official fixtures list after the CMA withdrew from KZNA last year. The CMA, however, has insisted the race will proceed and said runners will not need an ASA licence for the 2027 event.

The latest ASA position does not automatically reinstate the race or settle the dispute. The board’s recommendation must be approved by the federation’s General Council at the SGM for direct membership to be considered formally. Until that vote is taken, the status of the 2027 race remains uncertain.

Stakeholders and likely outcomes

Several stakeholders have been explicitly referenced in ASA’s communications:

• CMA — race organiser seeking a direct relationship with ASA rather than operating through KZNA.
• KZNA — ASA’s recognised provincial member for KwaZulu‑Natal, from which the CMA withdrew last year.
• ASA — national federation that will convene the SGM and whose General Council must approve any change in affiliation.
• SASCOC and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture — acting as mediator and advisor to the minister, with government having expressed support for resolving the impasse.

Possible scenarios after the SGM include formal acceptance of the CMA’s direct affiliation application, rejection of the application, or a further process of negotiation if the General Council seeks alternative governance arrangements. Acceptance would create a direct line between the CMA and ASA, potentially bypassing KZNA; rejection would likely extend the dispute and leave the centenary race’s sanctioning status unresolved.

Context and implications

The dispute has attracted high-level attention because it touches on governance, provincial autonomy and the status of an iconic national event. Government engagement — including public support for the CMA from the minister of sport — appears to have influenced ASA’s decision to place the matter before its members urgently.

For runners, clubs and sponsors, the key questions remain whether the 2027 centenary Comrades will feature on the official ASA calendar and whether an ASA licence will be required. The SGM vote on 31 August will be the next decisive step in answering those questions.

The sport has watched as administrators manoeuvred; for now, the ball is at the ASA General Council’s feet.