Organizers of the New York City Marathon banned a running influencer from that race and future events after he ran the marathon aided by two cameramen on electric bikes.
The organization that runs the marathon, New York Road Runners, said the influencer, Matthew Choi, was banned for life.
‘One of the incidents brought to NYRR’s attention was that Choi ran with the assistance of two unauthorized people riding the course on electric bicycles, obstructing runners,’ New York Road Runners said.
The 29-year-old Choi has nearly 500,000 followers on social media and finished the race in 2:57:15, but he was disqualified and his race results removed.
New York Road Runners said in a statement that Choi violated World Athletics rules and code of conduct and their own rules of competition.
Choi, a former football player at Monmouth University, used the people on the e-bikes to film his run, but other runners complained that Choi and the bikes were obstructing their view and he was being a nuisance to the other racers on the course. More than 55,000 completed the 26.2-mile five-borough race on Sunday.
‘I have no excuses, full-stop,’ Choi said on social media. ‘I was selfish on Sunday to have my brother and my videographer follow me around on e-bikes, and it had serious consequences.’
‘With the New York City Marathon being about everyone else and the community, I made it about myself,’ he continued. ‘And for anyone I impacted, I’m sorry. To be clear, this was 100% on me.
‘I made my bed, so I’m gonna lay in it,’ Choi said. ‘It won’t happen again. My word is my bond.’