The George Municipality confirmed that the 17th Outeniqua Wheelchair Challenge that is annually hosted in the city will not take place this year. Mayor Melvin Naik says in a statement that the decision was made due to circumstances beyond their control. The event yearly attracts just over a thousand national and international disabled athletes.
Naik says although they have been planning the race for months, their co-sponsor, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) only advised them on the 22nd of March that they are withdrawing their sponsorship.
He says they are unable to host the event without the co-sponsorship. Naik says reasons given for the withdrawal of funding include the manner in which last year's race was organised by the Disabled Road Race Foundation (DRRF).
ACSA says they did not comply with the company's social development transformation policy in terms of sponsorship. It is alleged that the food parcels handed out last year were cited as an embarrassment and unacceptable causing negative publicity for the event.
The food parcels handed out last year consisted of tinned fish, baked beans, packets of biscuits and a bread roll.
The Airports Company also indicated that they had not received comprehensive financial reporting on the use of the funds sponsored for the 2016/17 and 2017/18 financial year from the DRRF.
Naik says the George Municipality is keeping the communication lines open with ACSA in the hopes that they will in the future continue to sponsor this event - in particular as it is a flagship event for the City of George. The OCC plays an important role in the pre-qualifying criteria for those athletes wanting to attend the para Olympic games.
Ernst van Dyk claimed victory in the 2018 Outeniqua Wheelchair Challenge winning the men’s 42.2km racing chair category in a time of 1h:29:15.
The women’s racing chair category was won by Margaret Banganjena of Zimbabwe in a time of 2h:40:25.
