Hundreds of runners at the 2025 Suzhou Marathon in China are under investigation for urinating in public, including on school signs, flower beds, and in parks along the course.
This incident has sparked backlash, and event organisers, as well as the Suzhou Bureau of Sports, have launched an investigation regarding this matter, as public urination is prohibited in the city, and violators may face penalties.
In Suzhou, public urination is illegal and can result in a fine of 1,000 yuan ($137.27).
Despite the organising committee providing hundreds of portable toilets along the route, these actions have raised concerns. Some people debated whether the incidents were due to urgency or lack of public awareness, while many others called for fines or even bans for those involved.
The issue has also led to a wider discussion about proper conduct during marathons and the need for more education and stricter penalties to prevent similar behaviours in the future.
The Suzhou Bureau of Sports and the event organisers are now reviewing security footage and social media evidence to identify those who are responsible. In a statement, they strongly condemned the behaviour and encouraged the public to submit any additional photos or videos to help the investigation.
The statement said: “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.”
Public urination in Chinese marathons
Public urination at major races is not a new issue in China. A similar incident happened during the 2013 Beijing Marathon, where a lack of adequate toilet facilities led to the known “red wall of urination”, named after runners wearing red bibs. Due to this, marathon organizers significantly increased the number of portable toilets at race venues.
However, with the rapid growth of the running scene in China, incidents of public urination continued to occur.