Chinese Influencer Disqualified, Dropped by Sponsor for Bicycle Use in Berlin Marathon

Sun Yuanyuan, a Chinese fitness influencer known on social media as Abeeeer, has been dropped by her sponsor, Brooks, after admitting to riding a bicycle for a portion of the Berlin Marathon in September. Her finish time has also been disqualified by the marathon organizers.

The controversy emerged when an Instagram account dedicated to monitoring race integrity, the Official Marathon Time Integrity Unit (OMTIU), posted a photograph that appeared to show Sun on the back of a bicycle between the 35km and 40km marks of the race. The page also highlighted Sun's race splits, suggesting a significant speed increase during the segment where she allegedly used the bicycle.

Sun subsequently posted an apology on the Chinese social media platform Rednote, acknowledging her rule violation. She stated, "I won't make any excuses for this behaviour. I was feeling physically unwell on the course, [but] that is absolutely not an excuse for breaking the rules." She further confessed that her "attempt to take a shortcut was disrespectful to the fairness of the competition and the spirit of the marathon" and that she had "deliberately concealed" her actions, expressing deep guilt.

Brooks, a running shoe company, confirmed its decision to terminate its sponsorship with Sun. In a statement, a company representative said, "Brooks believes running should be grounded in integrity, fairness, and respect for competition. After verifying the facts, Brooks China terminated its relationship with the individual and publicly addressed the matter."

OMTIU was established to address what it describes as a growing trend of fabricated race data and false personal best claims, particularly among fitness influencers. The account's mission is to "protect the integrity of the sport by ensuring that the times athletes share publicly reflect the times they actually ran."