Runners may be entitled to compensation after Copenhagen half marathon chaos

Participants in Sunday’s Royal Copenhagen City Half may have a legal right to partial refunds, according to Denmark’s consumer rights organisation, after widespread reports of poor organisation, including a lack of water stations, insufficient toilets, and baggage handling delays of up to 3.5 hours.

The consumer council Forbrugerrådet TÆNK stated that the event’s failures could constitute a breach of contract, as runners paid between 700 and 825 kroner (approximately €95–110) to participate. “Based on what we know, participants are entitled to a partial refund due to missing facilities like toilets and drink stations, as well as the extremely long baggage wait times,” senior legal advisor Ida Daarbæk Reislev told DR.

Event organiser Peter Hjort, of Strata Endurance Events, acknowledged the issues but rejected calls for refunds, instead offering all 3,500 runners a free entry to next year’s race. “We’re providing what we consider fair compensation. Many have already accepted this and want to return next year,” he said.

When pressed on whether runners could demand refunds, Hjort responded: “They can take legal action, and we’ll address it in court. If a ruling orders partial refunds, we’ll comply.” He admitted the baggage system had been overwhelmed, attributing it to an incorrect estimate of how many runners would check items—planning for 1,000 when far more did.

Despite the criticism, Hjort defended the event, calling it “a great race” and noting that the core service—running the half marathon—had been delivered. He also claimed some runners had praised the event, adding: “We just need to fix the baggage next time.”