A man who was this year awarded an OBE for services to disability and charity, after an accident rendered him paralysed from the neck down, has been refused entry into the London Marathon on the grounds of health and safety.
Matt King has participated in the Great North run twice and in 2007 was the first quadriplegic to finish the New York Marathon, using his chin to control his motor-powered wheelchair. He initially tried to gain entry to the London Marathon that year, but was refused. His application to enter this year has again been refused, and the London Marathon advises that King has now decided to take legal action.
Virgin London Marathon says King, who requires the assistance of a team of five including two carers who ride on bicycles, could hurt himself or others. Additionally they say that the use of a motor-powered vehicle is against London Marathon rules.
A position statement from the London Marathon says: "We are naturally disappointed that this situation has arisen. We believe that our position is legal and fair and is in accordance with the practices adopted by all of the major marathons including New York Marathon which today would also not permit Mr King’s desire to drive a motorised device along the course of the event.
"The London Marathon has met with Mr King and explained at length to him the detailed policies that govern our event and which, in part, are the requirements of the governing bodies of our sport.
"The London Marathon is unable to make any further comment since Mr King has now decided to commence legal proceedings."
King, who is a trainee solicitor in personal injury, was injured in 2004 at age 17 playing in his first professional rugby game for the London Broncos Academy under-18s. He received a knee to the neck and suffered several damaged vertebrae leaving him paralysed from the neck down and unable to breathe on his own.
Now 25, King has volunteered with the Spinal Injuries Association acting as a peer adviser and speaking with patients in the spinal unit at Stanmore Hospital for over two years. He was a London 2012 Olympic torchbearer and was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list this year for services to those with disability and to charity.
King completed the New York Marathon in 2007 in six hours and 40 minutes. In a blog following the event, he recounted a gruelling experience where his batteries ran out before even hitting the half-way mark and he suffered from serious hypothermia with a temperature of 33.2 degrees celsius.
London Marathon organisers announced in September that the International Paralympics Committee Athletics Marathon World Cup for elite disabled athletes will be held at the next London Marathon, which takes place on 21 April 2013. The Virgin London Wheelchair Marathon is also run by the organisers, under International Paralympic Committee and IAAF rules. The rules state that participants must be able to finish the marathon in under three hours and that they must have a valid marathon time from the past two years that is under three hours.
At this year's London Marathon the organisers were criticised after refusing to award a medal or listing to Clare Lomas, a paralysed entrant who used a bionic suit to walk the route, after she completed the marathon in 16 days.
Matt's experience in the run-up to the New York Marathon was documented in 2007 by BBC North East:
