The volunteer organisers of the Sheffield Half Marathon have announced they are stepping down after receiving "personal attacks" following the cancellation of this year’s race.
April’s race was cancelled as runners waited at the starting line when not enough water arrived on the day as planned. There were scenes of confusion as 4,100 runners raced anyway, some unaware that the event was cancelled.
The event was expected to raise money for charities including The Children's Hospital Charity and Breast Cancer Care. Over the last 30 years it has raised £1.5m for charity.
The organisers said that they made the decision to step down within 48 hours of the event, having received “personal attacks” after the cancellations were made. They delayed announcing their resignations in order to facilitate an “orderly conclusion”.
Robert Jackson, chairman of Sheffield Marathon Ltd, said: “There has been a great deal of sensitivity from all parties involved in the cancelled 2014 event. For the runners, we can once again only apologise for the upset and inconvenience caused by the safety officer’s decision to cancel the race.
“After all the hard work, training and fundraising done in the months leading up to the race it must have been devastating to end in this way without the opportunity to fully complete personal goals.”
Jackson added that the scale of the negative reaction following the cancellation was a shock to the organisers.
He said: “However, we also wanted to take this opportunity to place on record the distress and upset this situation has caused us.
“In no way are we are seeking any sympathies from runners, the general public or media, but there comes a time when enough is enough and a sense of proportion has to prevail. We did not expect anyone to be pleased by the decision to cancel but nothing could have prepared us for what followed.”
He said that members of the committee have received abusive emails, calls and letters to their workplaces and homes, adding: “The last few weeks have been some of the worst in our lives.”
Richard Caborn, former Labour MP for Sheffield, ran the race despite the cancellation and has defended its organisers.
He told BBC News: “I feel very sad and sorry for the people on the committee and the volunteers. The abuse they've taken is unbelievable. I hope Sheffield thanks the committee for the past 30 years, for all the money they've raised for charity, and for getting so many people running."
Earlier this month race organisers said that refunds for the event would be taken from a fund earmarked for its norminated charities, having originally said that no refunds would be made.
The nominated charities for this year’s race are: The Children's Hospital Charity, Breast Cancer Care, St Luke's Hospice, Sheffield Academy of Young Leaders, South Yorkshire MS Therapy Centre, SAFE@LAST, Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice, Sheffield Wildlife Trust, Support Dogs and Myasthenia Gravis Association.
