Murray & Roberts Running Club is losing its title sponsor, with the construction giant pulling out due to financial pressure.
A circular sent to members by club chairperson Ed Jardim said contracted runners would continue receiving retainers until the contract ended in June or a new sponsor was secured.
Its top names include Adele Broodryk, third in the 2022 Comrades Marathon, and fourth-placed Jenna Challenor, who collapsed outside and inside Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium in last year's race.
The club would continue for social runners until the end of June.
Murray & Roberts, which stepped in after KPMG pulled out in 2018, hit hard times after its struggling Australian subsidiary Clough was placed under administration, said Jardim.
“Clough was a fairly good contributor to Murray & Roberts in terms of our annual profits, which we have now lost. Additionally, our Australian mining subsidiary (RUC) is also locked into the administration process and there is little certainty at the moment whether we will be able to save this company.
“The outcome of the above is that Murray & Roberts in South Africa is essentially a [significantly] smaller company than a few months ago and a lot less profitable.”
Jardim insisted the departure of Dana Coetzee as club manager had nothing to do with Murray & Roberts's decision.
René Kalmer, the operations officer, would take over the manager’s duties for now, he said.
Athletics
Struggling Murray & Roberts to sever ties with running club
Image: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images
Murray & Roberts Running Club is losing its title sponsor, with the construction giant pulling out due to financial pressure.
A circular sent to members by club chairperson Ed Jardim said contracted runners would continue receiving retainers until the contract ended in June or a new sponsor was secured.
Its top names include Adele Broodryk, third in the 2022 Comrades Marathon, and fourth-placed Jenna Challenor, who collapsed outside and inside Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium in last year's race.
The club would continue for social runners until the end of June.
Murray & Roberts, which stepped in after KPMG pulled out in 2018, hit hard times after its struggling Australian subsidiary Clough was placed under administration, said Jardim.
“Clough was a fairly good contributor to Murray & Roberts in terms of our annual profits, which we have now lost. Additionally, our Australian mining subsidiary (RUC) is also locked into the administration process and there is little certainty at the moment whether we will be able to save this company.
“The outcome of the above is that Murray & Roberts in South Africa is essentially a [significantly] smaller company than a few months ago and a lot less profitable.”
Jardim insisted the departure of Dana Coetzee as club manager had nothing to do with Murray & Roberts's decision.
René Kalmer, the operations officer, would take over the manager’s duties for now, he said.
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