The running community was rocked when Israeli athletes participated in the Comrades marathon in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) on Sunday, 8 June 2025, causing civil society groups, activists, and critics to question the “very principles this race has come to embody — unity, sacrifice, and justice.”
According to the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) in KZN, the move reflects a “profound sense of betrayal.”
“This decision stands in stark contradiction to South Africa’s principled stance on international justice and solidarity, especially about the ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people under occupation and apartheid,” said the ANCYL in a statement.
Speaking on VOC’s PM Drive show, sports commentator, critic, and activist Naazim Adam said the South African government cannot have a “double standard.”
“South Africa has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and told Israel accountable for war crimes against humanity and a plausible case of genocide, but at the same time, its business as usual and normalisation,” remarked Adam.
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Photo: Comrades Marathon/Facebook
