Coronavirus: Berlin Marathon will not be held in September
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Ethiopian long-distance runner Kenenisa Bekele wins the Berlin Marathon in 2019.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
BERLIN (AFP) - The Berlin Marathon will not go ahead as planned on Sept 27 because of a government ban on large-scale gatherings in the German capital due to the coronavirus pandemic, organisers announced on Tuesday (April 21).
"We have learned that all events involving more than 5,000 people will be banned until October 24," race officials said in a statement.
"That applies to lots of events, including the Berlin Marathon, which will not be able to take place on Sept 26-27 as planned," they added, without giving any new dates.
Tens of thousands of runners take part in the event each year.
Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele won the race for the second time in 2019, missing out on the world record by just two seconds.
