This year's Twin Cities Marathon (October 3, 2004) will limit its prize money to only American runners. Marathon officials say that it is hard for American runners to compete with the dominance of Kenyan and Ethiopian atheletes, and this gives Americans a major event to compete in.
On the one hand, it is essentially a prize for achievement, and there are numerous prizes that are given only to Americans (or only to Germans or Moroccans or Hong Kong residents). On the other hand, it is presented by the marathon officials as a labor issue, that is, American runners can't make a living with the Kenyans stealing all the prize money.
I haven't quite made up my mind how to feel about it (not surprising as I'm equally undecided on many more general global trade issues), what does anyone else think?
Posted by ktismael at April 23, 2004 10:26 AM