CIMB Bank withdraws as presenting sponsor for this weekend's Singapore Color Run

Participants at The Color Run in Singapore in 2013. PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER FILE

SINGAPORE - CIMB Bank Singapore has withdrawn as the presenting sponsor of The Color Run, the bank said on Thursday (Aug 20).

Singapore authorities had approved the permits and licences for the run, and the run will proceed as planned at Sentosa this weekend.

However, due to the extended testing required to ensure that the coloured powder to be used at the event is safe, CIMB was unable to "activate and exercise" their commercial rights and entitlements as a sponsor, the bank said.

Despite being supportive of the Singapore authorities' efforts to test the safety of the coloured powder to be used, the bank has decided to "respectfully withdraw" as the presenting sponsor, it said in a statement.

The fate of the run was briefly in doubt due to safety concerns that were raised about the use of coloured powder at mass events. A dust explosion at a "colour party" in Taiwan on June 30 resulted in the death of at least 10 party-goers and injured more than 500.

Color Run participants will still be receiving a T-shirt, bandana, wristband and temporary tattoo that bear the CIMB Bank logo.

"These items could not be reproduced and replaced in time for the event," CIMB said.

The two-day event, organised by IMG, a global sports, entertainment and media firm, is an un-timed fun run that douses runners from head to toe in coloured powder.

CIMB Singapore has been the presenting sponsor for the run since 2013. Last year, it donated a dollar from every registration to the Singapore Disability Sports Council.

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