Intersport La Valette Malta Marathon organisers have denied being given preferential treatment and say they have nothing but ‘utmost respect’ for Malta Marathon.

In a statement on Saturday, Corsa said they had been the target of ‘misinformed and distortionary’ social media comments following a statement issued by Malta Marathon organisers.

Earlier this week, Malta Marathon organisers said the event earmarked for 6 March 2022 was in danger of being cancelled for the third year in a row.

It claimed that a route for the Marathon had been "imposed" on organisers by Transport Malta and that this route has been "deemed unacceptable" by Mater Dei Hospital Emergency Department, The Malta Red Cross and the Malta Traffic Police.

This prompted a number of social media comments insinuating that the Intersport La Valette Malta Marathon, which has been given the green light to take place on April 24, was being given preferential treatment.

However, the Corsa management team clarified they had abided by requests to amend the intended routes for the event no less than twelve times.

“The interactive route-planning process undertaken by Corsa together with the relevant very proactive officials from the Transport Authority, was by no means effortless,” the statement said.

However, in the same breath, the management team said they felt very supported by the authorities throughout the process of amending the routes.

“The full support of Prime Minister, Leader of the opposition, and Ministers for Tourism and Sport together with Minister for Transport has always been consistent with a very pro sport agenda, so giving a different impression is unfair,” the statement continued.

The ‘Intersport La Valette Malta Marathon will be held on the 24 April 2022, and was officially given the green light during a second sitting of the TCC - Traffic Control Committee board on 6 January 2022 (following which the routes were certified by a representative of the AIMS - Association of International Marathons and Distance Races on 7 February 2022).

However, prior to this date the event was amended a dozen times, the organisers explained.

The finalised route of the 21.1km La Valette race.

The Corsa management team stated they had nothing but the utmost respect for the organisers of the other Malta Marathon and for what they have achieved during these past thirty years. 

“In fact, the late April date was consciously selected not to coincide with the Malta Marathon, keeping in mind the organisers and athletes' intentions,” they explained.

"We recognise the legacy route which the organisers of the Malta Marathon seek to maintain, and empathise with them; however vouch for the value created through this process, and the ultimate possibility for a workable route to be identified,” they said.