UK Edition
Athletics chiefs accused of sexism after refusing to allow men and women to run equal distances
Amateur athletics officials have been accused of antiquated sexism after refusing to introduce equal running distances for men and women on health and safety grounds.
Opponents of equal running distances say it would mean slower women being “trampled” by groups of men overtaking them, races continuing after dusk and marshalls forced to dismantle the course in the dark.
But campaigners say unequal times present a “toxic” example to children about the position of women in sport.
This Saturday sees the Essex seniors and under 20s cross country championships being staged in Chelmsford, using the new equal running distances recommended by the sport’s governing body, UK Athletics.
The changes follow a decision by the International Amateur Athletics Federation to switch to equal running distances for its events.
That means means both male and female seniors will run a 10k race, instead of the previous practice of men running 12k and women running only 8k.
Essex is one of the few counties to have introduced the new recommended running distances, with others sticking to the old gender-based differences.
Suffolk has senior men and women both running 10k Scottish Athletics already follows the IAAF’s change of rules and has introduced equal distances.
Among the fixtures regarded singled out by equality campaigners is the South of England AA’s championship - in which men run 15k and women run 8k.
SEAA decided to stick to unequal distances despite running an online survey last spring, which suggested that most people support a change.
Now campaigners have renewed their call for all counties to introduce equal running distances for men and women.
The call has been backed by dozens of amateur runners across the country, both men and women, including the BBC broadcaster Sophie Raworth.
She recently complained on Twitter about boys and girls running different distances in the English schools cross country finals.
“Great day at the English schools cross country finals in Suffolk. But why, in this day and age, are these 12 and 13 year old girls not running the same distance as the boys?” said Ms Raworth, herself a keen amateur runner.
Those who oppose the move say it would devalue the women’s finishing times as they would be forced to run longer and therefore slower.
Others say it would cause health and safety problems, particularly in winter, with races continuing after dusk and marshalls forced to dismantle the course in the dark.
One official at Woodford Green Athletics Club, who asked not to be named, said: “If the women’s races were to be longer some of them would not have completed the course by the time the men started and would be mown down on narrow trails by men trying to run past them.
“And if the men’s races were started later you would end up with courses being dismantled in the dark.
“You have to say there is a danger to health and safety and a greater risk in the case of men running after women.”
But women who want to run the same distances as men have dismissed those arguments, saying that as long as there is a willingness to introduce equality sensible solutions can be found to any practical problems that arise.
Maud Hodson, a member of East London Runners who has campaigned on the issue, said: “There’s no rationale for different running distances.
"Women do not lack endurance and in fact the longer a race is, the smaller the gap between the men’s and the women’s finishing times.”
Ms Hodson, 46, a classical music publisher, added: “If children who start to take part in sport see men and women running different distances it reinforces the idea that proper sport is for men and women don't do it properly.
"We need to change that.”
The England Cross County Association said it had no intention of introducing equal running distances for its events.
An ECCA survey found 6p per cent of those who responded against equalising distances, with the strongest opposition coming from women runners.
The ECCA’s honorary secretary Ian Byett said: “We know that women are perfectly capable of running longer distances.
“However, cross country running is slightly different from a marathon and a lot of ladies said 8km was long enough for them and a lot of men don’t want to run shorter distances.”