Tokyo Marathon organizers ask Chinese residents to forego race

Source: Xinhua| 2020-02-14 20:33:59|Editor: huaxia

TOKYO, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo Marathon organizers on Friday asked all registered runners living in China to forego this year's race over concerns about the coronavirus.

It was announced in a statement, "We would like to sincerely request all registered runners for the Tokyo Marathon 2020 residing in China to defer their entry voluntarily."

The statement said the decision was made after Japan has expanded the entry ban, which forbids people from Zhejiang and Hubei Provinces to enter Japan.

The organizers announced last week that registered runners residing in China (residency according to the registered address by the date of February 1, 2020 regardless of nationality) to defer their entry to the 2021 event, with the condition of paying the entry fee again.

"However, the condition has changed, and the entry fee for 2021 will not be charged to runners residing in China who defer their entry," the statement said on Friday.

Some 1,800 runners living in China registered for this year's race, which will be held on March 1.

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