China's Athletics Association suspends 10 runners over public urination, revokes Suzhou Marathon 2026 certification
BEIJING, April 25 — Ten participants in the 2025 Suzhou Marathon have been banned from all road races sanctioned by the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA) for three years due to 'uncivilised behaviour' during the event, Xinhua reported.
The CAA announced the disciplinary action on yesterday, citing instances of public urination near a local school during the March 2 race. The ban will be in effect until March 1, 2028.
In addition to the suspensions, the CAA said it would revoke the 2026 Suzhou Marathon's eligibility for official certification, a move that prevents the race from appearing on the association's calendar of sanctioned events.
The association urged runners and event organisers to uphold race regulations and protect the integrity of the sport. 'We hope all participants and relevant parties take this as a warning, and work together to maintain a fair, orderly, and respectful race environment,' the CAA said in its statement.
The disciplinary action follows online reports and video footage widely circulated on Chinese social media showing several runners relieving themselves in public, sparking backlash from netizens. — Bernama
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