Last year, the Stockholm Marathon was canceled due to the corona pandemic.
But this year they hope to complete the 42nd edition of the competition.
June 5 was the original date, but due to the pandemic, they now choose to postpone the race.
- We have worked hard to create a safe and attractive event on June 5, but have now come to the point that we have had to make the decision to move in the autumn, says project manager Christer Clefberg in a press release.
Canceled last year
The new date will be October 9.
- We have very good hopes of being able to arrange the race in a good way on October 9.
The most important thing now is, of course, that the whole society works together to reduce the spread of infection so that we can eventually start to open up again, says Clefberg.
"Absolutely unbelievable"
The organizer also sharply criticizes how the government and the authorities handled the public health aspect during the pandemic.
- For us, it is completely inconceivable that public health-promoting activities such as exercise sports are regulated more strictly than shopping and entertainment, says Daniel Almgren, operations manager for the Marathon Group, which arranges the Stockholm Marathon, among other things.
- We and other exercise events have clearly shown the authorities what our process looks like, when our deadlines go.
But the understanding back is not at all as clear.
A plan for reopening regarding our type of business would have already needed to be in place, says Almgren.