Published: 17 December 2025 | Updated every year to reflect the latest requirements | Reading time: 3 minutes
By Dr Simon Shaw | Founder & Chief Medical Officer, Fit Certify
Dr Simon Shaw is the founder and medical director at Fit Certify — a worldwide provider of online sports medical certificates.
The Marathon des Sables (MDS) is one of the most iconic multi-stage endurance events in the world — a self-sufficient desert ultra where you carry your own kit and fuel across the dunes, rocky plateaus, and vast open Sahara-style terrain.
Because of the heat, distance, and cumulative fatigue across multiple stages, organisers place a strong emphasis on participant safety. One key requirement is completing the official medical certificate before you can pass race checks and take part.
This short guide explains what you need — and how to get your Marathon des Sables 2026 medical certificate signed online by a doctor with Fit Certify.
Yes. Marathon des Sables requires participants to present a specific medical certificate during the event checks on 4 April 2026. You’ll typically need:
If you arrive without the required medical paperwork, you may be stopped at the verification stage — even if your travel and registration are already sorted.
Fit Certify offers a fully online, doctor-reviewed service designed for endurance events like Marathon des Sables. Here’s how it works:
Share a few details about your general health and medical history.
One of our sports medical doctors reviews your information and checks suitability for a desert ultra.
If fit, you’ll receive a signed and stamped medical certificate by email — usually within just a few hours
A doctor-reviewed and signed medical certificate for Marathon des Sables is just £69 with Fit Certify.
Hear from others who got their sports medical certificates with Fit Certify.
Yes — Marathon des Sables provides an official medical certificate template for the Legendary event, available via your participant account (and made available by the organisers closer to race start).
When you apply with Fit Certify, we complete the organiser’s form using the correct event wording, add the doctor signature and stamp, and include clear participant identification details — helping you avoid delays or back-and-forth with race staff at checks.
📅 Dates: 3 – 13 April 2026 (Legendary 40th Edition)
📍 Location: Morocco (desert course)
🧾 Admin/medical checks: 4 April 2026
🌐 Event website: Marathon des Sables – MDS Legendary 2026
📄 Medical documents: Official MDS medical certificate plus resting ECG with tracing (per organisers)
Marathon des Sables is a serious endurance challenge — and sorting your medical paperwork early removes a big source of stress before travel, kit prep, and training peak weeks.
With Fit Certify, you can get a doctor-signed marathon medical certificate online, from anywhere in the world, with clear, event-specific wording.
Apply now, and get your Marathon des Sables 2026 medical certificate sorted.
Sports Medicine Doctor • Athlete • Founder & Medical Director at Fit Certify
I’m Simon — a UK- and US-trained sports and exercise medicine doctor, family physician, GP, academic researcher, and the founder of Fit Certify. For the past several years, I’ve led a team of sports doctors specialising in medical certification for endurance and extreme-environment events, including multi-stage desert ultras.
As someone who runs and trains myself, I understand the commitment required to prepare for an event as demanding as Marathon des Sables — and how frustrating it can be to encounter last-minute issues with medical paperwork. Fit Certify exists to make this process simple, fast, and event-ready, so you can focus on training, heat preparation, and travel.
If you need advice or run into any issues, just email us at hello@fitcertify.com and we’ll be happy to help.
Disclaimer: This guide is for general information only and should not replace personalised medical advice.
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