Access Bank Lagos City Marathon limits participants to 10,000 for 2021, eyes Gold Label status

The organizers of the annual Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has announced two major changes to the 2021 edition of the Silver Label race.

Bukola Olopade, the race consultant and CEO for Nilayo Sports Management Company has revealed that only 10,000 runners across the world will be allowed to participate in the 2021 Marathon in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Olopade explained further that the drastic reduction in the number of runners was in adherence to safety protocols put in place by the World Athletics, Presidential Task Force, Sports Ministry and other relevant bodies to checkmate the further spread of COVID-19 in the country.

He said: “We’ve stepped back to take a breather and ensure that all strategies are put in place to have a race that would fit the protocols put together by the World Athletics, PTF, Ministry of Youth and Sports so that at the end of the day, we do not put brands and even the state in trouble, and I can say now we have mapped out our strategies and ready to deliver a safe race”

The former Ogun State commissioner, who is himself a COVID-19 survivor, also revealed that outside the reduction of runners to 10,000, the 10km race which has always been the crowd puller since it was introduced into the Lagos Marathon has also been suspended from the 2021 race.

He said: “We are only focusing on our flagship race which is the 42km that already has a Silver Label from the World Athletics, with what we are putting in place for 2021, we hope we can be upgraded into the Gold Label”

Beyond the usual fanfare, Mr. Olopade said the goal for 2021 is to stage a world-class event that is equally safe for all

Already, activities for the 2021 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has officially commenced with the flagging off of registration procedures on Thursday by top officials of the Lagos State Sports Commission.

The Executive Chairman of the Sports Commission Sola Aiyepeku alongside the Director-General, Oluwatoyin Gafaar were honored with the first two entry forms for the 2021 race.

Mr. Aiyepeku praised the ingenuity of the organizers for mapping out modalities for a safe race adding that Lagos State is making a big statement to stage the 2021 race.