Entourage Bali, a popular running club in Bali known for its early morning silent disco events, has temporarily halted all activities following accusations of systematically barring local Indonesian residents from joining. The organization is facing widespread criticism after screenshots, allegedly from leaked messages, surfaced online, indicating that applicants were asked for their nationality and subsequently rejected if they were local.
Social media platforms have seen an outpouring of outrage from both locals and expatriates who claim the group has created exclusive enclaves for foreigners on public spaces, including roads and rice paddy paths. In response to the controversy, Entourage Bali issued an apology on Instagram.
"We are extremely sorry for the people that have been offended and hurt... we never meant to be disrespectful or discriminate anyone," the statement read. The group acknowledged that while some events were open to all, others had participation requirements. They also confirmed that their running clubs "are open to everyone and do not require registration."
The organization admitted to "errors in automated approval processes for our WhatsApp group and non-running events," which resulted in a bias where "some (and not all) plus 62 numbers / Indonesians were incorrectly rejected." The club has since suspended all operations.
The controversy gained traction after Instagram accounts shared screenshots depicting the alleged vetting process. One unverified direct message exchange reportedly showed an organizer asking an applicant if they were Indonesian, and upon receiving an affirmative answer, stating, "Okay, that explains why you are not accepted. Because it’s an automatic system. And we are a platform for digital nomads."
In contrast, another screenshot allegedly showed a German applicant being instantly approved with a celebratory emoji, while an Indonesian applicant was informed, "At this time we’re unable to offer access to the community… We wish you a great stay in Bali."
Local residents expressed their frustration, with one recounting how her boyfriend was denied entry to a World Cup event hosted by the group, citing their status as local residents as the reason for rejection. Another user lamented the irony of locals feeling excluded from social activities in their own home.
This situation contrasts sharply with the group's previous portrayal. In May, Entourage Bali had described its events as "very accessible to all and also the local community," claiming a demographic split of roughly 75 percent digital nomads or foreigners and 25 percent locals.
However, an Australian runner who participated in a recent 3.5-kilometer run in Canggu described a crowd of approximately 100 people, with an estimated 95 percent being foreign Caucasians and only 5 percent being local. During the run, an MC reportedly called out nationalities such as the US, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Australia, with "Aussie" eliciting the loudest response, while no mention was made of Bali or Indonesia.
When attempting to join Entourage Bali, applicants are presented with a questionnaire that explicitly asks, "Are you a digital nomad or expat?" Following submission, a message appears stating that the request will be reviewed and an email will be sent if approved.
Internal messages obtained by news.com.au confirm the decision to pause all upcoming activities. An administrator posted in their private WhatsApp community group on Wednesday night, stating, "Hey all, because of the commotion today we decided to pause our events for the time being. Please bear with us until we have more info for you."
Entourage Bali organizes various activities across Canggu, Uluwatu, and Ubud, including facilitating housing, item sales, sports, and social meetups for foreigners. As of now, all scheduled events remain canceled, and attempts to reach Entourage Bali for further comment have been unsuccessful.