StanChart Marathon could go virtual in new format

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) will almost certainly look very different this year, said Sport Singapore chief executive Lim Teck Yin.

The national sports agency's chief said it is "quite inconceivable" that Singapore's largest mass participation sports event, which saw 50,000 participants and 70,000 supporters throng the running route last year, will take place in its traditional format.

Speaking yesterday at a webinar on the transformation of the sports industry due to the Covid-19 crisis, Lim said: "We have been discussing with Ironman, which runs the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon as to what we will do this year, when it is quite inconceivable that we want to bring 50,000 people together at one location... to run a race.

"And it is about now an engagement over a few months…. virtual engagements and workshops on running, health, well-being, (and) accompanying that with offers of merchandise and then having a virtual competition.

"Whether part of the competition is indoors and running on treadmills, or whether part of that competition is during competition week where people track their distances when they go outdoor and run…

"The idea is that a single-day marathon is now split into several months, with different phases of engagements and with different types of activity."

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The Republic has seen the cancellation of several high profile sporting events, such as Formula One's Singapore Grand Prix, rugby's Singapore Sevens, football's International Champions Cup and golf's HSBC Women's World Championship.

Lim said such events are "at the mercy of international travel policy" but added that he hoped to welcome their return to these shores "by next year".

The SportSG chief added that his organisation is working with the Ministry of Health to establish protocols for the resumption of domestic sports leagues without spectators.

However, he highlighted that regional competitions which feature Singaporean teams like the Asean Basketball League and the AFF Suzuki Cup "will be a lot more challenging" because they involve international travel.