media_artricles :: 2018

Southern Games cancelled

Yesterday, the organising committee of the Southern Games sent out a release announcing that the annual athletics and cycling meet, the biggest multi-sport event in the south has been cancelled.

It said: "Due to the current state of the economy and the financial constraints experienced in raising funds, we are forced to cancel the 2018 version of Southern Games."

The Games were set to take place on March 18 with the heats scheduled to run off this weekend, but the 54th edition will not unfold.

It is a familiar problem that the organisers have faced in recent times. In 2016 because of insufficient sponsorship the traditionally two-day event was reduced to one day which continued into last year.

Then the chairman Kenneth Allum had revealed that the committee was experiencing a further dwindling in sponsorship and "if this trend continues, it is quite possible this year could be the last Southern Games".

Unfortunately, it is the reality that the Games, which have seen participants from around the world competing including Argentina, Colombia, Jamaica, the United States and the United Kingdom in both disciplines (athletics and cycling), have had to face.

However the committee is determined to have the Games return next year saying in the release: "The organising committee will now focus their attention towards the 2019 version of the Games."

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