Splits, Stolen Gels, and Swapped Bibs: Chinese Runners Banned After Chengdu Marathon Chaos

The 2026 Chengdu World Heritage Marathon ended last Sunday with 35,000 runners crossing the finish line in Dujiangyan — but two of them won’t be back for a while.

Race organizers and the Sichuan Athletics Association handed out bans this week after footage of two separate incidents spread rapidly across Chinese social media, drawing up to three million views on Weibo and a wave of public anger.

The Splits

The more eye-catching incident involved a female runner identified only by her surname, Wang. Videos show her stopping abruptly in the middle of the course, dropping into a full split on the running path, and raising her arms into a heart shape — apparently posing for photographers on the sidelines.

Runners behind her had no time to react. Several nearly tripped over her, forced to leap sideways mid-stride to avoid a collision.

The Sichuan Athletics Association said Wang “committed obstructive fouls during the race, affecting the safe participation of other runners.” She was disqualified from the event and banned from all marathon races in Sichuan province for two years. The race organizer added a separate ban from the 2027 Chengdu World Heritage Marathon.

This kind of sudden stop mid-race is exactly the behavior covered in basic running rules and race etiquette — and it’s a reminder that the course is a shared space with thousands of other runners moving at speed.

The Gel Hoarder

The second incident was less dramatic but drew equal outrage. A male runner, identified as Zhang, was photographed wearing a neon yellow top and carrying a transparent drawstring backpack visibly stuffed with energy gel packets — far more than any single runner would consume during a race. The gels had been taken from the aid stations along the course.

Organizers ruled that Zhang had “taken and kept a large amount of on-course supplies for his own use, which seriously violated the spirit of sportsmanship and ethical standards.” He was disqualified, stripped of his finishing rank, and banned from the 2027 and 2028 editions of the Chengdu race.

The Sichuan Athletics Association extended his punishment further, banning him from all provincial marathons for two years.

A race staff member confirmed there were no legal consequences. “We did not report the matter to the police, nor was he required to return the energy gels,” the staff member said. “We only called him to deliver our criticism and to educate him verbally.”

Aid stations at marathons are a shared resource — typically stocked every two miles along the course — and taking excessive supplies can leave later runners with nothing. If you’re wondering how many energy gels you actually need for a marathon, the answer is nowhere near a backpack’s worth. Most runners take one gel every 20–30 minutes, and a solid aid station strategy means grabbing what you need and moving on.

Bib Swapping, Too

The Chengdu organizers also announced action against two bib-swapping violations. A runner surnamed Li received a lifetime ban from the Chengdu World Heritage Marathon after transferring his race number to another person. A second runner named Zhang reported his bib lost, obtained a replacement, and then used the original bib as well. Both were disqualified. The organizer said the cases would be referred to the Chinese Athletics Association for further sanctions.

Bib swapping is a serious violation at any race — it creates safety and liability issues when the runner on course doesn’t match the registered participant’s medical information. It’s the kind of cheating that marathon investigators take seriously worldwide.

A Growing Problem in Chinese Racing

The incidents are the latest in a string of controversies to hit China’s rapidly expanding marathon scene. Earlier this month, a race official in Chongqing was suspended for a year after accidentally blocking the race winner from crossing the finish line. Previous incidents have included runners boarding rental bikes mid-race and cutting course shortcuts.

It’s not the first time bib fraud has made headlines either. A fitness influencer was handed a lifetime ban after wearing a fake bib at the Chinese Half-Marathon Championships, and chain-smoking marathoner Uncle Chen was disqualified from the Xiamen Marathon for violating race conduct rules.

Public reaction online was fierce. “These people should be permanently banned from participating in all marathon races,” one Weibo user wrote. Another called the behavior “manifestations of extreme selfishness.”

For the running community, the incidents are a sharp reminder of something most experienced marathoners already know: aid station supplies exist for everyone, and the course is a shared space. Whether you’re a first-time marathoner or a seasoned runner, stopping without warning to pose for a photo — in the middle of 35,000 moving runners — is not a quirky moment. It’s a safety hazard.