Toulouse cancels its marathon, “an incomprehensible decision” for the opposition
Toulouse marathon runners will be able to store their shoes for a few years. The metropolis of Toulouse has decided to cancel the marathon this year but also in 2022 and 2023.
“In 2019, the marathon was deficit of 400,000 euros, so we asked ourselves whether we could absorb this deficit “, explains Philippe Plantade, vice-president of the metropolis in charge of sports. The elected representative also evokes the organizational difficulties around the event, between the Covid and the security measures imposed by the prefecture. “We did not want to repeat these organizational constraints again” late Philippe Plantade.
The metropolis has bad memories of the last edition of the marathon. The French Athletics Federation, which was to organize the event, gave up at the last moment, leaving Toulouse Métropole to organize the race.
A decision that undermines the attractiveness of the city?
“It’s an incomprehensible decision” reacts for her part Isabelle Hardy, co-chair of the opposition group Ecological and citizen metropolis. “We are trying by all means to organize events that bring Toulouse to life, which brings attractiveness, dynamism. And there, we cancel a friendly event, which animates Toulouse so it’s incomprehensible. “
The chosen one calls for a cost reduction analysis to reduce the deficit of the event. The opposition group wants to address the subject again at the next metropolitan council and propose to hold a light version of the marathon.
For its part, the metropolis specifies that the budget for the marathon will be used to promote other sporting events, more family-friendly and fun like a tennis tournament.