Male and female race winners of the Brussels marathon will be paid the same money, after criticism that the fastest man earned three times more than the fastest woman.
A photo widely shared on social media showed the men’s and women’s podiums after Sunday’s 42km race, with the male winner Stephen Kiplagat holding a cheque for €1,000 and the female winner Christelle Lemaire just €300.
“They ran the same distance,” said Brussels secretary of state for equal opportunities Bianca Debaets, who said there was a wider issue of pay discrepancies in sport. “It’s not unusual for male footballers to earn more in one afternoon than their female counterparts in a whole year.”
The marathon organiser said in a statement that the difference was because the men’s race attracted international athletes, while the prize money for the women’s race was on a par with similar amateur sporting events in Belgium.
“However we understand people’s anger,” the organiser said. “The prize money will be the same for both categories from this edition onwards.”
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