Nike promoted the London stop of its After Dark Tour as a race “designed for women,” a message that sat at the centre of its website, its FAQ pages, and most of the marketing leading into race week. The tour has carried that identity from city to city, framing the series as a nighttime space built around women’s safety, community, and performance.
At Excel London on 23 November, the event looked almost exactly as advertised: a 1K qualifier, three seeded 10K races, and a fast, enclosed course that snaked between indoor corridors and open-air sections under cover.
What caught people off guard was something that wasn’t part of the original pitch: the sight of men on the start line.
Photos shared by participants on Instagram show male-presenting runners taking part in the 10K races, including individuals identified by commenters as Nike staff.
Several women said they only realised men were racing once they were already in the start pens, and the posts spread quickly because many had signed up under the assumption the field would be women-only.
SheRACES, an organisation that advocates for better representation and safer environments for women in sport, posted one of the clearest early reactions.
“Our inbox has been rather full with feedback about the @nikewomen After Dark Women’s event,” their statement read, adding that “Nike let men take part. Including their staff.”
The group pointed to research it published earlier this year on why women choose single-sex races.
According to their findings, 53% said they felt more safe and secure at women-only events, and 66% said the atmosphere was more enjoyable. Some respondents said they wouldn’t take part at all if men were allowed on the start line.
Individual runners echoed that sentiment.
Bethan Taylor-Swaine wrote that the series had been promoted as a rare chance for women to race without “men getting in the way,” and said many participants arrived expecting London to follow that model.
Nike’s published race information does not outline how gender eligibility was defined or enforced (if at all). And the FAQ focuses on the typical things, such as age requirements, bib collection, race logistics, and course details. But when you take a closer look, the lines seem a bit blurred.
Under the FAQ “What Is Nike After Dark Tour London?” the event is described as an opportunity for women: “The After Dark Tour is a global race series that offers women an opportunity to test their limits and redefine what’s possible. Curated to bring women runners together, along with the communities that support them, Nike is inviting women to take on their next challenge and reclaim the night.”
However, not far underneath, under the FAQ “What Are The Requirements To Participate?,” there is no direct gender requirement mentioned: “Registration has reached capacity and is now closed. Adaptive athletes, guides and support runners are welcome. You must be 18 years or older on race day to participate, and may be required to show proof of age. All participants must be familiar with and abide by the Event Rules. The sale and/or transfer of race entries/bib numbers is strictly prohibited.”
As of now, Nike hasn’t released a public statement explaining whether the presence of male runners was planned, permitted under specific circumstances, or an issue that emerged on race day.
The discussion that’s followed hasn’t centred on the race format or the atmosphere, which many runners described positively. Instead, it’s focused on the gap between how the event was promoted and what some participants experienced on the course.
The UK’s Equality Act 2010 allows for single-sex sporting events in certain situations, a point SheRACES highlighted, but the practical interpretation rests with the organiser.
The London race still drew a large turnout and ended with the planned PinkPantheress performance. But the images of men running in a race billed as women-only have left some runners looking for clearer guidance from Nike, not just for this edition, but for what “women-only” will mean if the After Dark Tour returns.
