Severe measures against those breaching rules

I thought I had written this article already, but it seems some people have not yet got the message. Let me try again... no more entries can be accepted.

All 2,200 available places in the Marathon, Half Marathon and Walkathon have been taken up.

Unfortunately, those who have not managed to apply in time will have to wait till next year’s event.

Even in the last few days more than 100 people were still trying to contact the organisers asking to be accepted as late entrants. A number of excuses have been proffered for not applying before the closing date; among the more popular is, “I was abroad.”

You feel like pointing out to those who write such things that it is possible to apply online from anywhere in the world. How do they think foreign applicants manage to apply?

“My computer broke down”, “My computer had a virus” and “I was sick”... the list goes on. We’ve recently received a request from a local runner wanting to know if it was possible to apply, “on the day”.

Let’s get serious here; the applications opened way back in September. I am 100 per cent confident no-one out there has had a computer breakdown or been ill in bed since September.

Besides, if your computer broke down, go next door. Use your brother’s. Go to an internet café. It does not matter which computer you use to apply.

It is more honest to say that each and every one of these individuals simply procrastinated.

Note this: since the applications opened, there has been a steady and constant flow of foreign applicants from day one. In contrast, local applications were never more than a trickle until I reminded everyone in this newspaper that applications would close on January 16 and then the tsunami hit.

Over half of all Maltese participants applied in the final two days before the closing date. It got that the website was threatening to crash with the number of people trying to apply at the same time on deadline day.

I wrote last week; numbers are not transferable.

Let me qualify that. Participants running with a number that has not been allocated to them will be disqualified and will not appear in the official results.

Both the runner taking part as well as the original applicant to whom the number was issued will also be banned from taking part in future Malta Marathon events.

It might seem harmless, but you have no idea of the headaches such a practice can cause.

If the number is worn by a younger individual, then in the results it suddenly appears that the original (older) number holder has won an age-category, or (as has happened) won an award in the female race (original applicant) when the number was really worn by a male.

Again, it has been known to spoil the team awards.

Add all these headaches together and come the award ceremony (which is only a few hours after the event before the foreign award winners go home) you get a situation where the organisers publicly announce an award to someone who did not even take part!

Or that Team X won the team event to the consternation of the real participants present at the ceremony who know it cannot be true.

The organisers are determined to do everything possible to ensure such occasions do not occur.

Numbers are not transferable, however you can still manage to get a confirmed entry in your own name if you take the place of a confirmed participant who, for one reason or another, has decided not to participate.

To do this the organisers need to be given the name and surname and the full entry ID of the already-confirmed applicant who has chosen not to participate.

This information must be sent by email to applications@maltamarathon.com. After verifying the switch with the original confirmed applicant, an authorised late entry form will be emailed to the new applicant to be completed.

This procedure must be followed to the letter; no other method of number re-allocation will be accepted.

I repeat, if you run with a number allocated to another entrant, both you (who will be immediately disqualified) and the original applicant will be banned from all future Malta Marathons. If you’re tempted, don’t be. It isn’t worth it.

Take care out there and enjoy your training. Three weeks to go.

johnzwalsh@yahoo.com