Dear AGN and CGA leadership,
I am writing this open letter to raise serious concerns about repeated failures in race organisation. These failures disadvantage elite athletes, particularly those who compete without financial and material support.
For many elite runners without club sponsorship, winning races is not simply about prestige or recognition; it is a means of earning a livelihood and supporting their families. These athletes often depend on the goodwill of dedicated coaches who voluntarily provide training programmes through online platforms, which require data and airtime to maintain communication. Their managers, too, are often volunteers who believe in their athletes’ talent and sacrifice their own limited resources to support them, particularly during financially difficult periods.
It is therefore deeply concerning when poor race organisation deprives these athletes of the opportunity to earn what they have worked so hard to achieve.
I wish to bring three incidents involving athletes under my management to your attention.
In the Waterfall Half Marathon 2026, my athlete competed in the 21km race for the top prize. However, the 10 km and 21 km elite runners started together, and the athlete used the 10km runners to pace himself. Unfortunately, he missed the turn separating the routes for the two races and finished among the 10km runners. He received no official result for the race he had entered.
In the Balwin Jeppe Race Series, my athlete entered the 10km race but missed the turn-off separating the 10km and 21km routes. He continued along the 21km course and finished among the top 10 runners in that distance, yet he was recorded with no result.
The same problem occurred in Region 5 Marathon. These incidents raise several important questions that deserve answers:
- Why are 10km and 21km elite fields started together without adequate measures to ensure that athletes follow the correct routes?
- Why is route signage insufficient?
- What role do lead vehicles, motorcycles, and race marshals play in ensuring elite athletes stay on the correct course?
- Why are there no dedicated marshals at critical turn-offs? - Joe Manciya, athlete manager
