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Future of Pune International Marathon uncertain

With the arrest of city MP Suresh Kalmadi by the CBI for his alleged involvement in the Commonwealth Games (CWG) scam, uncertainty looms large over the future of the Pune International Marathon (PIM).

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With the arrest of city MP Suresh Kalmadi by the CBI for his alleged involvement in the Commonwealth Games (CWG) scam, uncertainty looms large over the future of the Pune International Marathon (PIM).

PIM, the brainchild of Kalmadi, has been taking place annually in December since 1983, attracting athletes of repute from India and abroad. But with his arrest, the million dollar question is whether the organisers would be able to rope in sponsors for the event.
One of the sponsors who provided funds for the last year’s PIM admitted that it would be difficult for the organisers to find sponsors this year.

“PIM is a good platform for companies to promote their brands. But I don’t think corporate houses will invest in the event henceforth. The marketing scenario has changed. No company would like to get associated with any event or a person whose image has been tarnished for various reasons,’’ said an official of that company, who did not wish to identity either himself or the company.

The official argued that although the event is slated in December, people would not forget in a hurry that Kalmadi was arrested by CBI for the CWG scam. And that could prevent companies from sponsoring the event.

“It will be wrong to say that people have a short memory. Today’s youth are well-informed and have exposure to different mediums. Even after many years, they will not forget that Kalmadi was arrested for corruption. So, companies will not risk getting associated with any kind of event where there is a risk of losing its public image,’’ he said.

However, the general secretary of PIM Trust and joint secretary of the Athletic Federation of India, Prahlad Sawant, maintained that the event would not be adversely affected due to Kalmadi’s arrest.
“PIM is not managed only by Kalmadi. It is an event that has been recognised by world athletics body, Indian athletics body and many other associations. So it is wrong to speculate about the future of the event. We have organised it for so many years and I am sure that the show will go on,’’ argued Sawant.

He went on to add that Kalmadi has been a strong pillar for the organisers, but his absence won’t affect the popularity of the event. “The companies know that the event attracts a gathering of 50,000 people. So why would they not sponsor the event,’’ he questioned.

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