Non-binary option for London Marathon

Next year’s London Marathon mass-participation event will include a non-binary gender option for participants.

The goal was to make the race the “most diverse, equitable, and inclusive marathon in the world,” according to the race’s organizers.

All participants registering for the mass participation component of the event will be offered three gender options: male, female, and non-binary.

“The elite athlete races, as well as the Championship and Good For Age categories, which all operate under World Athletics standards, will not include a non-binary gender choice,” according to a statement released by the organizers.

Hugh Brasher, the director of the event, described it as a “major step forward” in the effort to make the event more inclusive.

“We recognize there is still much work to be done, but these modifications indicate our dedication to making the TCS London Marathon an inclusive event,” he said.

This week, the Boston Marathon announced a similar adjustment.

Due to the coronavirus, the 2023 London Marathon will return to its customary April date for the first time in four years.

The ballot for next year’s race opens on October 1, the day prior to the London Marathon in 2022