6 Months After This Marathon, the Top Finishers Still Haven’t Been Paid Prize Money—and They Want Answers

It’s been almost six months since the Soweto Marathon was run in Soweto, South Africa, last November. But the race’s top finishers—including winners Margaret Jepchumba of Kenya and Joseph Seutloali of Lesotho—still haven’t received the prize money they are owed.Back in January, the race organization blamed the delay on the finalization of drug test results. But according to local media, doping clearances were finalized by the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport in mid-January.In a statement in February, the race organization requested patience as they completed “the necessary paperwork and technicalities which include a third party.” While it’s not clear what third party the Soweto Marathon NPC referred to, the race’s primary sponsor, Africanbank, confirmed that it had paid the race in full.It’s possible that the delay in payments is related to a complex dispute over the race’s ownership that unfolded last year, involving the Soweto Marathon Trust, which operated the race in the past, and the more recently formed Soweto Marathon NPC, a nonprofit company. Central Gauteng Athletics, which sanctions the race, replaced the Trust with the nonprofit entity in response to several years of alleged financial mismanagement and leadership issues, sparking a court battle over who controls the race.Andrew Booyens, who coaches Seutloali and third-place women’s finisher Gerda Steyn, demanded an update on the situation in a letter to Central Gauteng Athletics, and threatened legal action should it not be resolved. His team, the Hollywood Athletics Club, also announced that they will not be participating in future Soweto Marathons.Manfred Seidler, elite manager of Hollywood Athletics Club, recently toldSportsBoom that they have not received any updates from the race since February. “Our elite athletes are professionals who dedicate their careers to running,” he said. “The prize money from races is a major contributor to their livelihoods.” He also pointed out that athletes “dedicate nine months to train, and forego other races where they could be winning cash prizes.” Winners are owed the equivalent of around $15,000, and runners-up are owed around $7,000.Steyn expressed similar sentiments on a recent radio appearance. “It’s not just a loss of this prize money, it is also a loss of making income in other places,” she said. “I had to say no to various other races around the world to focus on the Soweto Marathon, and then I walked away with nothing to show for it, even though I finished on the podium.”South Africa’s Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie told Sunday World that the government will temporarily take over the marathon and ensure athletes get paid, and that his department will be pursuing criminal charges against the organizers, who he said “disappeared and stole that money.”“We cannot lose the Soweto Marathon; it is historic, and it is a race for our people in the townships, and that’s why I am stepping in,” he said. The race, known as “The People’s Race,” passes by many historic landmarks in Soweto—the site of much of the country’s anti-apartheid resistance—including Nelson Mandela’s former home.But Central Gauteng Athletics has suggested that such a takeover could undermine the race’s compliance with World Athletics, which “requires that the sport remains independent and free from political interference.”This isn’t the first time in recent history that a South African marathon has failed to pay out: Winners of the 2024 Mpumalanga Marathon are still waiting on their prize money, equivalent to around $61,000.Best Running Gear Deals Right NowBest Garmin Running WatchGarmin Forerunner 265Now 22% OffBest Value HeadphonesJLab Go Air Sport+ HeadphonesBest Anti-Chafing StickBodyGlide Original Anti-Chafe BalmBest Handheld BottleAmphipod Hydraform Handheld Water BottleBest Energy GelsHüma Chia Energy Gel Variety 12 PackBest Value Massage GunBOB AND BRAD Q2 Ultra Mini Massage GunNow 15% OffEasy Shoe DeodorizerMarsheepy Activated Charcoal Odor Absorber BagsNow 31% OffLauren Wingenroth is a freelance writer covering fitness, running, sports, the performing arts, and more. A former editor of Dance Magazine, her work has appeared in The New York Times, GQ, Outside, SELF, PS, ESPN, Well+ Good, Playbill, American Theater, and other outlets. She is a graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University, a marathoner, and a North Carolinian.