Hong Kong Marathon officials’ plan to stop race cheats: ask runners to check
Details of 2026 race announced, after this year’s saw half-marathon winner and runner-up disqualified over bibs not matching identities
Organisers of the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon have unveiled details of the 2026 edition, and said they would aim to prevent a repeat of this year’s bib-swapping controversies by reminding runners to check their race numbers.
The event will also be given a stronger overseas marketing push in an attempt to attract visiting runners, the organisers said.
This year’s event in February ended with the disqualifications of the winner and runner-up of the half-marathon, as well as the second and sixth-placed runners in the 10km race, because their identities did not match the names on their bibs.
Instances of runners selling or giving away their bibs on social media also came to light, with one case involving an elderly man running with a bib that belonged to a woman.
Asked what plan was in place in response, Dennis Ng Yu-ho, executive director of the Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates (HKAAA), said: “First of all, of course, we will, in communication with runners before the event, remind them [to check their numbers].
“And also, we are exploring the feasibility of letting the runners double-check the details on their bibs, and whether they belong to them or not.