Runners living in Russia and Belarus are barred from participating in this year’s Boston Marathon — even after they qualified for the elite race, organizers announced Wednesday.
“Like so many around the world, we are horrified and outraged by what we have seen and learned from the reporting in Ukraine,” Tom Grilk, president and chief executive of the Boston Athletic Association, said in a news release. “We believe that running is a global sport, and as such, we must do what we can to show our support to the people of Ukraine.”
The announcement was made less than two weeks before the April 18 marathon, which attracts runners and spectators from across the globe each year. Organizers did not specify how many athletes from Russia and Belarus had qualified for the marathon. Last year, 35 runners from Russia entered the Oct. 11 race, which was delayed by the pandemic. No Belarusian runners were listed in that race, which included about 18,000 participants.