The registration fee for local long-distance running competitions in Hong Kong has risen due to the impact of the new crown epidemic in the past two years, because the fee has been added to the new crown virus nucleic acid test (PCR Test) that runners must carry out.
Take the Hong Kong 10K Challenge (also known as Tin Shui Wai 10K) held this Sunday (8th) as an example. For a race of only 10 kilometers, the registration fee is as high as 500 yuan.
However, due to the relaxation of the government's epidemic prevention restrictions and the cancellation of nucleic acid tests for the event, the Hong Kong Athletic Association, which hosted the event, did not say anything at first. It was not until the 5th (Thursday) that Mr. Tian returned it on the grounds that "in response to the latest epidemic prevention measures announced by the government" 50 yuan.
As a result, the race registration fee is as high as 450 yuan, which is unreasonably expensive, and some runners are dissatisfied with this.
However, Mr. Tian, who is the organizer, actually has something to hide.
After the nucleic acid test was canceled in the Tianshuiwei 10K race, Mr. Tian only refunded a small part of the registration fee, which caused some runners to be dissatisfied.
(Provided by Mr. Tian/Information picture)
The "new normal" of long-distance running competitions under the epidemic: registration fees doubled
For most long-distance running competitions in Hong Kong, the registration fee before the epidemic generally ranges from more than 100 yuan to more than 200 yuan (except for the annual running event Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon or competitions with individual themes or rich prizes). The fee is also related to the distance, 10K The race will naturally be lower than the half marathon and full marathon races.
However, since the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, most of the local road races have been cancelled. Among the remaining races, the participating runners need to undergo nucleic acid testing for the new crown virus designated by the conference, including the 2020 Dixin Lake 5K, the 2020 Standard Chartered Marathon, and the 2022 ASICS semi-finals. As well as the Tin Shui Wai 10K and Standard Chartered Marathon in 2023, a surcharge will be charged due to the addition of nucleic acid testing, causing the registration fee to jump to around 500 yuan.
The registration fee for the competition is expensive, which has become an unfortunate "new normal" for participating in long-distance running competitions under the epidemic. However, the Hong Kong government has recently relaxed the epidemic prevention measures, so that this Tin Shui Wai 10K race does not require nucleic acid testing.
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The Tianshuiwei 10K race does not need to be tested for nucleic acid, but Tian's arrangement has attracted controversy among runners.
Overcharged by 300 yuan, only 50 yuan will be refunded
On December 30, Mr. Tian updated the rules of the Tianshuiwei 10K competition on the official website in response to the government's new anti-epidemic measures. The competition does not require nucleic acid testing. At that time, no refund arrangement was mentioned.
As soon as the news came out, the runners immediately talked about it. Since the registration fee of 500 yuan included the nucleic acid test fee, they should be refunded after cancellation, or they should continue to conduct nucleic acid tests for the runners without refund.
Until the morning of January 5, the runners received an email from Mr. Tian stating that a partial refund would be arranged. The content pointed out: "In response to the latest announcement of the government's anti-epidemic measures, part of the anti-epidemic surcharge (HK$50) will be refunded. The credit card account that you originally paid for, the refund is expected to be completed within four weeks." After counting, many runners think that "it's not enough". A race with an original registration fee of 200 to 250 yuan, due to the addition of the PCR test "increased the price" "To 500 yuan, now only 50 yuan is refunded, of which 200 to 250 yuan are missing.
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The 2019 registration fees for different categories of Tin Shui Wai 10K.
(screenshot)
The 250 yuan that disappeared
Taking the registration fee of Tianshuiwei 10K in 2019 as a reference (see the picture above), the adult group fee is 200 yuan for registered athletes, otherwise it is 250 yuan.
The competition was canceled due to the epidemic in 2020, and a 50-yuan "epidemic prevention measure surcharge" (see the picture below) will be added in 2021, that is, the registration fee will increase from 200-250 yuan in 2019 to 250-300 yuan.
【Runners.
Huang Yinjun】Even if the goal is a thousand light-years away, he is brave enough to take the first step
Tin Shui Wai 10K will start adding a surcharge for epidemic prevention measures in 2021.
(screenshot)
Mr. Tian's difficulties under the epidemic
The 2022 event will be canceled again. By 2023, the registration fee for the adult category will be increased to 500 yuan at once. Mr. Tian stated that "the registration fee includes the additional fee for epidemic prevention measures and the new crown virus nucleic acid test before the competition."
This time Mr. Tian did not specify which part is the registration fee and which part is the surcharge for epidemic prevention measures like in 2021, but according to the charging rules in 2021: 200 to 250 yuan is the registration fee, and 50 yuan is the surcharge for epidemic prevention measures If so, the remaining 200 to 250 yuan should be "nucleic acid test for new coronavirus before the game".
Now that the epidemic prevention measures have been relaxed, there is no need to do the new crown virus nucleic acid test. Mr. Tian only refunded the 50 yuan "partial epidemic prevention measure surcharge", which in disguise caused a substantial increase in the event registration fee.
No wonder some senior runners, who did not want to be named, said that they would rather not have the 50 yuan returned by Mr. Tian, but hope to have a new coronavirus nucleic acid test.
Regarding this incident, Mr. Tian's spokesperson also felt very helpless, "This time it was too hasty. The government only relaxed the epidemic prevention restrictions on December 28. PCR is not required, but in fact it has already been ordered."
Mr. Tian also pointed out that in the past few years, the cost of hosting competitions has been greatly increased under the epidemic, and competitions have also been canceled, so the registration fee has actually increased.
She also took the 2021 Tianshuiwei 10K as an example, "Everyone was very determined and wanted to make it happen that time." Therefore, the surcharge for that year was only 50 yuan, which included the nucleic acid test. ".
Mr. Tian said that he understands the feelings of runners who feel that the cost has increased greatly. Mr. Tian has also discussed "whether it is possible to refund more" internally. However, there are many "invisible costs" in hosting the race, such as masks, hand sanitizers, and staff arrangements. , so after weighing it, it is decided to refund 50 yuan this time, and the subsequent events will be reviewed separately.
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Tin Shui Wai 10K only refunded 50 yuan after the nucleic acid test was canceled.
(Provided by Mr. Tian/Information picture)
In addition, there are other inadequacies in the arrangement of this event.
The original nucleic acid test for the new coronavirus must be carried out 48 hours before the game. Mr. Tian initially arranged for the players to receive the number cloth on this Friday and Saturday (6th to 7th). Now that the nucleic acid test is cancelled, Mr. Tian will receive the number at once The date of the cloth was brought forward to this Thursday and Friday (5th to 6th) during office hours, or to the day of the race (8th), which caused many office worker runners to lose their budget.
Most of them can only be collected on the game day, which in disguise means sacrificing warm-up and gaining time to go online.
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