Posted on 15.01.18

Star athletes call for rethink on demise of Great Edinburgh Run

Athletics stars past and present have backed calls to keep the Great Edinburgh International XCountry in its present home after it was revealed that Saturday’s 
edition might be the last in 
Holyrood Park.

The showpiece – considered second only to the world cross-country championships in terms of prestige – is set to move elsewhere in the UK following a decision from City of Edinburgh Council to withdraw its financial support.

Although the annual backing, understood to be more than £100,000, comes at a time when authorities are being asked to make deep cuts to budgets, the decision to push out the capital’s lone world-class event is a major blow to the sport. And former world champion Liz McColgan claims the move fails to factor in the myriad spin-offs derived from the televised meeting and its adjoining open-to-the-public Great Winter Run.

With confirmation that the long-standing Great Edinburgh Run has also been scrapped in 2018 due to cost concerns, it removes two of the capital’s three mass participation events at a stroke.

Government agencies have signalled their intention to try and find an alternative home in Scotland for the cross-country meeting which has been in its present site for the past 14 years and has featured A-Listers such as Olympic champions Kenesisa Bekele, Eliud Kipchoge and Mo Farah, who called the venue “amazing”.

Read full article here: https://www.scotsman.com/sport/athletics/star-athletes-call-for-rethink-on-demise-of-great-edinburgh-run-1-4661388