Executive Summary:
Has the Comrades Marathon been captured?
Yes, at least partially, and it cost just R6,500 to do so.
Why was Ann Ashworth fired?
There are three main reasons:
- Ashworth installed locks on the bar fridge at Comrades House to stop rampant theft and, after the locks were smashed and tampered, installed security cameras in the bar and kitchen areas. Rather than being concerned about the justification for such measures, Board members questioned whether Ashworth was trying to “catch them out”, describing her conduct as a “fatal mistake”.
- Ashworth tried to institute governance controls on cash expenditures used for the race day community marshals. There is zero traceability of where the money goes and fact-based conjecture suggests that the cash from the Community Marshals Portfolio is misappropriated.
- Four Board members, allegedly voted onto the Board with bussed-in and bought votes, had already promised the Race Manager role to the Comrades Marketing and Communications Manager and collectively orchestrated a campaign to sabotage Ashworth and smear her name in the media.
I probably have enough information for a Netflix series on the behind-the-scenes shenanigans at Comrades. When George RR Martin ran out of ideas for Game of Thrones, he should have made a trip to Pietermaritzburg and spent some time at Comrades House for inspiration.
Likewise, in a world of Disney princesses living their best lives on social media, Ann Ashworth’s experience over the past year is more analogous to that of Game of Thrones. Ashworth is not afraid to forge her own path, speak truth to power and fearlessly attack mediocrity. Unfortunately, this is a high-risk strategy in an organisation known for revering the status quo and resting on past laurels. Ashworth seems to have paid the price for doing her job too well.
A former Comrades employee agreed with this synopsis, “Ann was too strong for the Board and knows running, whereas most of the Board have no idea and just want to hash out the same old playbook each year. When Ann came along, it scared them so they got rid of her. They want a puppet in there – not a leader and a strong person.”
The insecure and the average don’t take kindly to having their cheese moved. The patriarchy gets petulant when a fresh young face wearing lipstick starts challenging their parochial worldview. And in a culture of kleptomania, when someone has the audacity to put a lock on a bar fridge to stop the good ‘ol boys from taking one for the road and a six-pack for the family, it’s understandable that the only outcome is a Board behaving badly.
Due to the size of this article and overwhelming body of evidence against certain individuals within the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA), I have decided to split this exposé into five separate articles which will be released over the next week:
- How they Captured Comrades
- Why Ashworth was fired: Reason One – Kleptomania at Comrades House
- Why Ashworth was fired: Reason Two – Cash & Carry On Regardless
- Why Ashworth was fired: Reason Three – Succession Shenanigans
- Cools & the Gang – Greatest Hits (A Comrades Communication Breakdown)
The articles have been written after an exhaustive investigation with input from over a dozen sources at various levels and positions within the Comrades Marathon Association structure.
Also see: Comrades Capture: Season One Epilogue
Cover photo courtesy Comrades Marathon Association
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Eish. Gets worse by the minute. I suppose JZ will also want to put his hand in the cookie jar now..
R6500.00 to capture Comrades? I’ll have half a dozen please. 😂😂😂😂😂
Go Running Man go !!!!
Stuart,
At the end of the day when all the wrong doings have been exposed,nothing will happen unless the riff raff are removed.The members of the CMA must ensure they take controll and elect those who have the interests of the association and the runners at heart.The snouts are in the trough !! Time to take the trough away by getting rid of them.The history and ethos of this iconic event cries out for accountability,transparency,and justice.
Just shows one once again looting is the order of the day, especially having big sponsors on board, they should jump ship, so these looters have nothing to loot, sad how such events are being shipwrecked, totally disgusting! Penny pinching swines!😡
If these board members are innocent, why are they not suing you or publicly commenting??
What can we as running members of Comrades do yo get these Board Members replaced, contact the big sponsors and get them to demand changes or sponsorship gets paused, we need the rules changed, as Anne said no Board Member should be allowed more than 5 years, this means accountability occurs and corruption is picked up, many of these Board Members have their fingers in the pie, Viva Comrades Viva.
Terribly sad and a reflection of the widespread corruption that is rife throughout the country! My heart aches for the wonderful Comrades of the past.
“Cry, the beloved country…”
The new minister of sport must appoint a commission of enquiry to investigate these allegations.
Goodbye Comrades Marathon. Corruption is not sustainable
Cortupt disgracefull country
Sad to hear.
With what is going on in CMA is this the beginning of the end of yet another road race in South Africa.⁷
The pie is too big…make it smaller. Surely we knew that corruption is the order of the day? Where there is money there are vultures.
CMA should consider closing down the race for a year or two; reinstate Ann and start again. How else can the bad elements be eleminated?
Sad… smells of corruption big time
They should all be Fired…
Because Ann was trying to clamp down on corruption
Love your work. I hope the 5 articles comes out before the CMA meet on the 15th of August.
Stuart,
Why don’t you forward your full report to the minister now.This is an international iconic event,not just national He must step in and root out the for !!
Inform the minister of sport. He’s a real no nonsense guy n will sort this thing out chop chop. Forget about complaining everywhere publicly. Waste of time.
Typical SA, corruption as always
Par for the course… quite the norm when there is any monies involved!
Well done to you Ann for uncovering the Rot, it came at a price unfortunately BUT the Rot is out there now.. so there WILL be change
The new Minister has no time for this type of nonsense
Why not ask the Sponsors to insist on governance and accountability for what they are contributing. Otherwise no sponsorship.
Once again do not allow the beautiful human race to be destroyed by corruption and greed.,if what is said is true . I am only new in running the race but i have been following it for more than a decade
Gayton Mckenzie… time to act Minister…..
Comrades Marathon is the last place for all of this…Victor Clapham and all he had to go thrue as so many Legends before us,this beautiful race,history,traditions,come on South Africa let’s Run,Live as One..we all the same on Comrades morning..no race no racism..only humanity as we know it to be on Comrades day…The Ultimate Human Race that we all Love so dear..God Bless and keep Comrades Marathon forever ..it has changed so many lives for the best..thx running man Jys n Yster.!!! till we meet again on that day of days the Comrades Marathon.
Board members should be made up of Green number club members Only
Expose to rogue element. Name. Shame. It’s the only way to clean out the rot.
Unfair and unjust ,not only to ANN but to the whole community of participants.
Without a second thought,She deserves a top position at Comrades Committee.
This must be brought to the attention of the minister and an official enquiry instituted or else our beloved Comrades will disappear into the mire of detritus as so many of our sacred institutions have
Do this for the love of the sport not greed and money.
Fire all the dishonest ones , reinstate Ann.
She did a good job.
Get our new minister of sport involved.
They are a lot of parasites – where there is money they work themselves in there – to get their hands on the money – not to manage the business. Look what these parasites have done to Eskom, Transnet, SAA, and all the other service departments of South Africa.
Gatyon you need too move in and get the Sport sorted urgently.
Par for the course unfortunately. The rot always starts at the head. Mandela must be turning in his grave!
Mike