MONTREAL -- The Rock 'n' Roll Montreal Marathon has named Eddy Afram as its general manager, as well as Mario Blain as its director of operations.
The organization states the two men have been part of the organization in the past.
"The return of Eddy and Mario to the marathon is considerable and we couldn't be more pleased to have them and their vast experience back in the fold," said Elizabeth O'Brien, managing director of North America for The IRONMAN Group.
"There is no doubt they will again create a celebrated athlete experience that showcases Montreal and attracts participants from all over the world."
Afram worked with the group from 2012 to 2018, while Blain was the director for 24 editions of the event.
"I am very pleased to come back to my first love," said Blain. "With my colleague, Eddy, we have a deep understanding of this event.”
On Sept. 25, the marathon's race director, Dominique Piché, resigned after the death of a runner and complaints of logistical problems that lead to a 50-minute delay for the start of the race.
Organizers explained the route’s safety perimeter hadn’t been properly secured by the time the race was supposed to start and reinforcements from Montreal police had to be called in.
In addition, 24-year-old runner Patrick Neely died while running in the half-marathon, a 21.1-kilometre race.
The incident raised questions about response times to rescue him, with some witnesses saying there was a long lag before paramedics arrived.
The coroner's office has opened an investigation to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the death.
In 2020, the Rock 'n' Roll Montreal Marathon will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a new course.
