Boston Marathon Says Runners in 2022 Must Be Vaccinated or Raise at Least $5,000 for Charity
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Athletes hoping to run the 2022 Boston Marathon will be required to provide proof of vaccination, organizers said Tuesday, with one exception—runners who raise at least $5,000 for an approved charity.
“As we look to return to the traditional Patriots’ Day date for the first time since 2019 and allow for as many athletes to participate as safely as possible, we know that a fully vaccinated field is the appropriate requirement to implement,” Peter Sellers, a spokesperson for the Boston Athletic Association, said in a statement.
“Alternatively, a limited number of runners unable to meet that standard may still participate in 2022, via our Official Charity Program.”
Historically, the B.A.A.’s Charity Program has offered a path to participation for runners unable to meet the Boston Marathon’s tough qualifying standards. The new vaccination waivers, the statement said, are offered in that same spirit.
“Boston has always been about the pursuit of athletic excellence,” Sellers said. “But it’s also about tolerance and inclusion, and making room for runners who fall short of our own high standards for entry.”
In the end, he said, the exception for unvaccinated runners is all about “doing good.”
“Through its Official Charity Program,” said Sellers, “the B.A.A. recognizes the importance of strengthening our communities and raising vital funds for more than 40 nonprofit organizations that are out there every day, doing crucial work.”
Among runners on social media, reaction to the policy was mixed.
“What the f***?” Burt Kwouk, a five-time Boston finisher, wrote on Twitter. “This doesn’t make any sense.”
“YAY!” responded Herbert Lom, a vaccine skeptic who has run several marathons for charitable causes. “This is awesome news. So glad to hear the Boston Marathon won’t discriminate against people who refuse to be sheep.”
The 126th Boston Marathon is scheduled to take place Monday, April 18, 2022. For more on the event’s 2022 COVID vaccine waivers for charity runners, click here.
