The blind runner who filed a human rights complaint against the Victoria International Running Society and the race director of the Times Colonist 10 K is awaiting a decision after a four-day hearing that finished last Thursday.
Graeme McCreath, a 65-year-old Saanich physiotherapist, filed the discrimination complaint against the VIRS and race director Jacqui Sanderson, after he was denied his request to start the race early to avoid heavy congestion. The popular road race typically sees 10,000 entrants.
McCreath, who has a prosthetic left eye and only light perception in the other, has, with the assistance of a guide, run six of the Times Colonist 10K events, including races spanning 2006 until 2010.
“We should never have go to this situation,” McCreath said. “I’ve been pretty devastated … I’m cautiously optimistic, but you never know.”
McCreath has requested compensation for loss of dignity and missed work during the hearing.
The Victoria International Running Society argued that changes to the route in 2011 should have addressed issues surrounding the safety of visually-impaired runners at the start of the race. McCreath did not run in the 2011 TC 10K.
A decision from B.C. Human Rights Tribunal member Marlene Tyshynski is expected in the first week of November.
nnorth@saanichnews.com