THE Lagos State Government has said it is looking into the incident in which an ambulance hit a participant near the finish line at the 11th edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon yesterday.
Footage available on social media shows runners approaching the finish area before an ambulance, moving along the race route, strikes one of the participants from behind near the medal collection zone.
The incident elicited strong reactions, especially concerns over safety measures, crowd management and the movement of emergency vehicles within an active race corridor.
Reacting to the development, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the ambulance involved was part of the marathon’s medical emergency response team.
According to him, the vehicle was transporting athletes who had earlier required medical attention when the incident occurred close to the finishing area.
Omotoso stated that the woman sustained bruises and complained of chest pains but was stabilised at the scene.
“Officials immediately alerted the ambulance crew to stop upon noticing the situation,” he said.
“The emergency medical team promptly assessed and evacuated the affected individual for on-the-spot care before transferring her to a public health facility for further evaluation.”
He added that the athlete’s vital signs remained stable and that she is currently receiving treatment and responding positively.
The commissioner further disclosed that the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Lagos State Sports Commission are closely monitoring her condition, with senior government officials visiting the hospital where she remains under medical supervision.
Omotoso said a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident was underway.
The Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has grown into one of Africa’s biggest road races, with thousands of local and international runners participating annually.
