Hundreds of runners at the 2025 Suzhou Marathon in China are under investigation after photos and videos emerged on social media of participants urinating in public parks, flowerbeds and school signs, despite the availability of portapotties along the course. Race organizers are now asking people who may recognize these runners to come forward with any information they may have.
Images and videos of the incident were quickly shared on social media on Sunday in the hours following the race. Several photos showed a group of runners urinating on a school sign near the start line. In another photo, three runners were spotted urinating in a flowerbed because the portable toilets were occupied.
Organizers said on social media that they had provided hundreds of portapotties throughout the course, so many are now questioning whether this was a matter of necessity or disregard for public decency. The tricky thing with running a race is that when you gotta go, you gotta go, so waiting for the toilet may feel counterintuitive for many as they feel it will directly affect their finishing time.
Public urination in Suzhou is illegal and punishable by a fine of up to 1,000 yuan. The Suzhou Marathon, one of China’s largest annual running events, boasts 160,000 participants across its four races from 27 countries.
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The race and the Suzhou Sports Bureau say they have launched a full-scale investigation, examining social media and security camera footage in an attempt to identify offenders. Race organizers released a statement condemning the behaviour, urging any witnesses to come forward with information: “We strongly condemn this uncivilized behaviour. We have informed the relevant departments and initiated an investigation. Moving forward, we aim to enforce stricter regulations and enhance supervision to promote a culture of respect in future races.”
The backlash has been swift, already resulting in the disqualification of several athletes. For now, the Suzhou Marathon is racing to clean up its image—both figuratively and, quite possibly, literally.
