China: Two-year ban on continuous smoking in marathon races

A 52-year-old Chinese citizen was banned for two years for continuously smoking during a marathon in China.

The man, identified by the nickname of Chen, completed the C&D Xiamen Marathon 2024 in three hours and 33 minutes on January 7, while smoking cigarettes continuously.

Now the organizing committee of the Xiamen Marathon has banned him from running for two years and reported him to the Chinese Athletics Association for further fines.

The organizing committee’s statement said it confirmed Chen’s smoking based on “race surveillance, referee reports, timing chip data, race videos, photographs and other materials”. The committee revoked his time and classification in the event.

According to Canadian Running Magazine, he is known as Uncle Chen and holds the nickname ‘Smoking Brother’ in China.

Chan also reportedly smoked during the 2022 marathon. He was spotted smoking a cigarette during a marathon in Shennanjiang, Jiangsu province, in November 2022. He finished 574th out of over 1500 runners.

Photos of Chen smoking while participating in the marathon went viral on social media and received a lot of media coverage.

The Xiamen Marathon lists smoking as one of the ‘(punishable) indecent acts’ on its website.

The list also includes ‘public defecation, littering, trampling of flowers and grass and other behaviour, which may affect other runners.’

Other cities in China have begun to address the problem of smoking during marathons under ‘indecent behavior’ rules.

‘Singapore as a city already has clear rules and regulations and our runners follow these guidelines.’

Last year, the Chinese Athletics Association proposed a ban aimed at encouraging healthy participation in running and reducing smoking during road running events.

The proposal states that those who do not follow the new rules will be disqualified from participating in the races.

Photos of Chen smoking while running surfaced during the 2018 Guangzhou Xiamen Marathon and the 2019 Xiamen Marathon.

He is also an outstanding marathon athlete who has successfully competed in events ranging from 50 km to 12 hours.

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