Committee appointed to review sports events

Health Ministry creates committee in wake of injury and fatality in Friday's Tel Aviv Marathon.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Runners take part in Tel Aviv marathon 370 (photo credit: Tamara Zieve)
Runners take part in Tel Aviv marathon 370
(photo credit: Tamara Zieve)
The Health Ministry has appointed a six-member committee of experts to recommend the criteria for holding popular sport events like the Tel Aviv Marathon – that resulted in injury and death due to the severe heat.
Prof. Danny Moran will head the committee, which will also include Prof. Naama Constantini, Prof. Yoram Epstein, Uri Shefer, Yair Karni and Dr. Ruth Borstein.
Ministry director-general Prof. Ronni Gamzu asked the committee to suggest ways to avoid harm to people who participate in “extreme” and other sports, such as running farther than 10 kilometers and what weather conditions would be grounds for the cancellation of planned events.
The Health Ministry last week urged the cancellation of the 42-kilometer Tel Aviv full marathon, and stated that shorter races end by 8.30 a.m.
Nevertheless, even people who ran earlier and shorter lengths were affected adversely by the heat.
The success of such events is determined not only by healthy and serious training on the part of the participants‚ but also the prevention or reduction of harm to those who have not prepared themselves by training, yet want to prove their physical abilities.
The committee was also asked to suggest how many resting posts should be available along the way for people to cool off, drink water and receive medical care. The committee will present its conclusions within 90 days.