Cancellation of the Paris half-marathon: runners between understanding and anger

They prepared the race for months, paid up to 65 euros to register without counting the budget for travel and accommodation. And then patatras: at the stroke of 3 p.m. this Saturday a few hours before the start, everything fell into the water. Victim of the coronavirus epidemic and the precautionary principle, the Paris half-marathon will not take place this Sunday morning. 44,000 runners were registered and the organizers expected at least 37,000 people on the starting line.

#SemiParis # Press release pic.twitter.com/W1T0Bq4Q70

At the time of the announcement by the Minister of Health, most of the participants were at the Grande Halle de la Villette (Paris XIX) to collect their bib, for nothing: “We were expecting it. We were afraid that this decision would fall, slips Jimmy, who has come from the Marne and the mine is in disarray. It hurts but we can understand it. Don't take a risk. After, what we regret is the timing. Why didn't you say it before? "

"Why are we being told so late?" "

A stone's throw away, Stéphane le Marseillais abounds: "Are you telling us that we are canceling because we are afraid that people who come from infected regions may be leaving?" Okay. But is it at 3 p.m. on Saturday that we notice? Don't you think we could have made this decision before everyone landed in Paris? We understand the postponement but why wait until the last moment to tell us? I learned it in the metro by coming here. "

The reason is simple: the country has been placed since Friday evening at stage 2 of the epidemic. "We fear contagion, I understand. But if a runner is sick, with everyone there is in this big bib room today and we let him come, you don't think that he could contaminate us all, ”says Eric ironically. , the commuter.

For the moment, no refund announced

For the moment, the organizers are not talking about cancellation but postponement: in other words, the Paris 2020 half-marathon could take place later, for example in the fall when the epidemic has (perhaps) stopped: "We're talking about September," says Alex from Alsace. But nobody believes it. There will be no other possible date. We are told that so as not to reimburse us. That's all. "

At this time, nothing is specified on the reimbursement terms. Caught off guard even if they knew the real threat, the organizers have still decided nothing: "All that is theft, plague Françoise, coming from Belfort with friends. Me, this little climb to Paris costs me at least 500 euros between the train, the hotel, meals and registration. Who will reimburse me? Person ! I'm out of my pocket and I'm furious. "

“Let us respect the precautionary principle, retorts Samir, originally from Mantes (Yvelines), the sad mine. Yes, the timing is not great, but what can we do about it? Nothing except accept this decision. "And take the bright side of things like Sophie, the northerner:" There is only one advantage to all this: this Saturday evening, we do not have to eat pasta. We are going to have a good restaurant and then Sunday morning, so as not to have come for nothing, we are going to run on the course and do our half-marathon. No one is going to stop us. "