Press Release - Boston Marathon - 7/1/20

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

        2020 Boston Marathon Official Charity Program Organizations 
                  Invited to Return for 2021 Boston Marathon

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has announced that members of the 
2020 Boston Marathon Official Charity Program will be invited to return as 
official charity program members for the 2021 Boston Marathon.

Boston Marathon Official Charity Program members will continue to maintain 
their own application and athlete selection process, including agreements 
between the charity organization and athletes, which has been program 
policy since its inception. Boston Marathon Official Charity Program 
organizations may select runners at their discretion to join their teams, 
including those runners entered for the 2020 race. The entire 2021 Official 
Charity Program will be announced in the future.

The field size for the 2021 Boston Marathon has not yet been established, 
and will take into account all guidelines and regulations for large scale 
events. Entries for each charitable team will be subject to possible 
proportionate reductions if the 2021 Boston Marathon field size is limited 
by public officials.

The 2020 Boston Marathon was canceled as a mass participation road running 
event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All participants who were originally 
registered for the April 20, 2020 event have been offered a full refund of 
their entry fee associated with the race and will have the opportunity to 
participate in the 124th Boston Marathon Virtual Experience. Participants 
who were entered by means of a qualifying time may use their 2020 Boston 
Marathon time to apply for entry in the 2021 Boston Marathon. The beginning 
of the qualifying window to be used for application and entry into the 2021 
Boston Marathon has been established to be September 15, 2018.

Registration for the 124th Boston Marathon Virtual Experience will open in 
early July. Details on the virtual experience will be announced soon.

ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (B.A.A.) 

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit 
organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through 
sports, especially running. The B.A.A. manages the Boston Marathon, and 
also supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round programming. The 
Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with 
international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York 
City. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been 
John Hancock. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.
 
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