The Malta Marathon is in danger of being cancelled for a third successive year unless authorities issue new health protocols and permits for the route of the race, the Malta Marathon Organising Committee announced on Thursday.
During the last three years, the MMOC was forced to cancel the annual running race in 2019 due to inclement weather and in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic regulations that forbid the organisation of mass sporting events.
With the COVID-19 situation in Malta improving gradually in recent weeks it was hoped that the long-distance running race would be back on the sporting schedule of 2022, however, a clash of opinion between the authorities and the organising committee has put the race at severe risk.
“We regret to inform you that the 2022 Malta Marathon may be cancelled within the next few hours unless the Maltese Authorities issue a practical COVID-19 Mass Sports protocol and the permit for our route, which has been used successfully for the past 12 years,” the MMOC said in a statement.