National Security Law Hovers Over Marathon

The Standard Chartered Marathon will be held this Sunday

 

The national security law affects all aspects of life in Hong Kong, even running a marathon. The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2021 will take place this Sunday, the first time a mass sporting event is held in the coronavirus pandemic era, but also participants will bear full responsibility if they violate the national security law.

At a briefing session today, organizers said they would check every one of the 18,500 runners for the 10K, half-marathon and full marathon to make sure the outfits are "safe", in that they don't interfere with other participants. Only a handful of people wear wacky costumes dressed like dinosaurs or giant candy bars.

Organizers will check all 18,500 runners

However, organizers admitted they have no control of runners if they have political slogans on their race gear.

"We are running a sports event and will focus only on the sporting aspects," said Kwan Kee, chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Athletics Affiliates.

"We have no restrictions on the use of colour (of the apparel), but we can't comment on if any slogans on their clothing would be banned as we haven't seen the slogans [yet]." 

For example they suggested instead of writing 加油 or "add oil" on their T-shirts, they could write "Runners add oil" just to be clear...

All the participants must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before the race, submit a health declaration form that they have not traveled outside of Hong Kong in the past 21 days and the must take a Covid-19 nucleic-acid test when they pick up their running kits between Thursday and Saturday.

The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2020 was called off two weeks before the race last February citing the pandemic, and this year's edition was postponed from January to October with a fraction of the runners from 74,000 down to only 18,500.

Runners on the hook for illegal political slogans

While spectators are allowed to attend, they will have to abide by social-distancing measures (ie no more than gatherings of four), while runners will be exempted from these measures for this particular event.

If a runner has an illegal political slogan will they be tackled along the course by the police? Or will they save their energy and arrest them at the finish line?