Tacoronte Marathon Denies Wheelchair Charity, Vows Inclusive Rule Changes
The Pichón Trail Project, a charity for people with multiple sclerosis, was initially barred from the Tacoronte Half Marathon with a specialized racing wheelchair, prompting the city council to apologize and pledge regulatory changes for future inclusive sports.
Sometimes, a closed door can open new ones in the future. This weekend, the Pichón Trail Project, a charity that helps people with multiple sclerosis, faced a challenge. But this challenge might actually help them – and inclusive sports in general – in the long run.
The organization had planned to take part in the Tacoronte Half Marathon tomorrow. They wanted to use a special racing wheelchair designed for asphalt, similar to a classic "joilette" but adapted. This chair, bought with help from the DISA Foundation, has been used in major marathons like New York, Barcelona, Seville, and Valencia. Pichón Trail intended to use it for the 10-kilometer race.
After first contacting the Tacoronte City Council to add a specific registration option, the charity noticed that despite initial approval, days passed without final confirmation. After more calls, Pichón Trail was told their request was denied "for security reasons," but no specific reasons were given.
In a recent statement, the charity pointed out that "at no point in the race regulations is it specified that participation with this type of chair is not allowed." They also highlighted the "contradiction" of organizing "a race adapted for handbikes and for people with functional diversity." They added in their letter, "We do not understand the reason for the exclusion." This gap in the rules meant Pichón Trail couldn't participate in the Tacoronte Half Marathon and couldn't "show that real inclusion isn't just words or rules, but comes from brave and consistent decisions."
The Tacoronte City Council was unable to act without approval from the Tenerife Athletics Federation, which oversees the event's rules. They reacted to the situation too late, though their attempt to fix things was well-intentioned. Yaiza Díaz, the Councilor for Youth and Sports, explained yesterday, "It was a misunderstanding. Perhaps there was a lack of communication, and at the same time, there was fear of congestion, especially since all three distances in this edition have been approved by the Spanish Federation." She added, "I feel very bad about this situation and regret it, because in our city council we truly believe in inclusive sports."
Díaz sent Pichón Trail a letter of "sincere apologies" and made a last-minute offer to include their team in tomorrow's event. However, the charity declined. After the initial refusal from Tacoronte, they had already been approved to participate in the San Silvestre de Los Realejos, which is also happening tomorrow afternoon.
Díaz thanked Pichón Trail for their "dialoguing and respectful tone" throughout this time. She made it clear that "after the holidays, we want to sit down with them to make the necessary changes to the regulations so that their participation is possible from the next edition of the Half Marathon." What seemed like a setback could actually be a step forward for inclusive sports, ensuring that groups like Pichón Trail never face a closed door again.