Pyongyang Marathon bans foreigners from racing over Ebola fear

North Korea has extended it’s travel ban to foreigners hoping to race in the isolated country’s marathon, the Pyongyang Marathon, over fear of the spread of Ebola. The virus has killed an estimated 10,000 in West Africa in an ongoing outbreak.

The Pyongyang Marathon allots 500 spaces to foreigners to run, making it one of the country’s more popular tourist draws. The marathon is 27 years old but only last year began allowing foreigners who were not elite participants to compete. Though there is very little tourism to the country, travel from China has been increasing in recent years.

The race was only recently opened up to recreational tourist runners but there has for years been elite competitors brought in the contest the event, which holds an IAAF bronze label and regularly sees impressive results, considering the political isolation of the country and lack of interest by most in travelling there.

Tour companies based in China help runners sign up for and travel to the marathon, held this year on April 12. The marathon is always held in the week of April 16, the birthday of Kim Il-sung, the original leader of the country.

North Korean media has suggested they believe the Ebola virus, first identified by a Belgian research team in 1967, was created by the United States as a biological weapon.