Covid-19: Cancelled London Marathon charities set to lose out on £70m

2020 London Marathon mass race has been officially cancelled due to the impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic – and the 2021 event will be moved from April to October next year.

More than 45,000 runners had hoped to take part in the rescheduled 26.2-mile event on Sunday October 4 but SunSport can reveal today their hopes have been dashed by government lockdown rules.

There will still be a 40th staging of the race but it will only involve elite runners and wheelchair stars.

There will be a looped circuit held behind-closed-doors at St James’ Park in London in a biosphere bubble – with Kenyan superstar Eliud Kipchoge, the world’s fastest man, taking on Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele.

The winner will still finish along The Mall, it will involve 19.8 laps of the Royal Park and allow marathon stars the chance to qualify their spots at the Tokyo Olympics.

Event director Hugh Brasher said: “Today is a day of sadness, but also I think it’s a day of certainty.

“It’s a day where we’re announcing what is appropriate – we think – for the 40th race. It’s certainly not something we ever expected to do.

“We hope people get inspiration from the Gods of our sport still battling it out over those 26.2 miles in the only world marathon race that is taking place in the Fall.

“If we can’t be there in body we definitely can be there in mind and in spirit and it is that spirit that the London Marathon has always, always been – it is exemplified over the years.

“Those are the stories, the incredible stories that come out every year that surprise us, that has engaged the world in what London uniquely does.

“So, I never expected to be here saying the 40th race was not one from Greenwich to Blackheath, but I think the world has not expected the last seven months.

“It has been a difficult journey for everybody and everyone’s journey has been different.”

A world record attempt on a level course in autumn conditions is possible – Kipchoge ran a World Athletics-ratified 2:01:39 in Berlin in 2018.

Hugh Brasher, the race director, said: “It’s a very fast course. We will be running the event under World Athletics rules. Absolutely the course will be eligible for world records.”

Asked about testing for coronavirus, Brasher added: “If anyone catches it, they can’t run. We are starting the testing in the country before they leave.”

Organisers are encouraging those who had entered the 2020 race to download a Strava-type app and run the 26.2-mile wherever they are in the world.

If they cover the marathon distance at some point on October 4 they will receive a Finisher’s T-shirt and medal in the post.

The 2021 race was set to take place on Sunday April 25 but that has been moved to Sunday October 3 instead.

This is sent to be a one-off move – thus allowing governments enough time to eradicate the virus or find a vaccine – and the 2022 event will return to springtime in the capital.

Runners and charities will also be able to defer their place to a future London Marathon – in 2021, 2022 or 2023.

In 2019, the London Marathon raised a world record £66.4million for good causes.

It is understood the charity sector faces a funding shortfall of £10 billion in 2020.

Brasher added: “The London Marathon has become a world event. We believe it’s the greatest marathon in the world, the greatest athletes in the world are still coming.

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“It shows the passion Britain has for the London Marathon.

“We are one of the crown jewels of British sport – FA Cup, Grand National, Boat Race, Wimbledon. The London Marathon is one of those.

“All of those events are over 100 years. This is our 40th race. To be in that position, well we are enormously grateful.”