For marathon enthusiasts, the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon is an annual event that is held around this time of the year, attracting thousands of participants. The event, which features a distance of 42.195 km (~26.218 miles), this year took place on Sunday, January 18. However, the course that starts from Tsim Sha Tsui and ends at Victoria Park saw an unusual circumstance under which a certain runner faced disqualification.

As reported by the Marathon Handbook on Instagram, a runner at the 2026 Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, identified by the surname Wang and wearing bib number A2055, was seen on the course with an infant secured in a front carrier between the 10- and 15-kilometer marks. However, the Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates (HKAAA), which organizes the event, barged in and immediately disqualified the runner from the event. The reason?

The organization clarified its decision in an official statement: “Runners must adhere to the official competition rules and refrain from any actions during the race that could pose a danger to themselves or others.” Indeed, as per the race regulations, the participants can’t run the marathon with infants, children under 16, or anyone not wearing a valid race bib.

Well, the social media video footage clearly showed the baby, who had its own race bib pinned to its jacket, with its head visibly bouncing as Wang jogged through crowded sections of the route, one hand supporting the child’s neck while the other held a mobile phone. According to official live-tracking data, Wang started the full marathon at 6:25 a.m. and had covered approximately 15 km (~9.32 miles) in about two hours and twenty minutes. And this is where he was qualified. However, things got tougher for the runner.

In the days following the race, the consequences for Wang escalated beyond disqualification. The HKAAA confirmed he has been banned from participating in future events. Even the Hong Kong police got involved, as they have requested the runner to provide a statement on this incident. However, previous marathons have seen more disqualifications due to various reasons that a fan would not expect.

More surprising disqualifications, just like at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon

While major marathon disqualifications are often linked with serious violations, sometimes there are some extraordinary cases that surprise the fans. Going back to 1904, the St. Louis Olympic Marathon saw a wild race. There were 34 entrants, but only 14 were able to finish the grueling event. The surprising part was that the person who initially won the race was disqualified for cheating, as apparently, they just hitchhiked for 17 km (~10.56 miles).

In a more modern example, American runner Esteban Prado had his hard-fought victory in the 2024 Orange County Marathon overturned when officials learned he had accepted a water bottle from his father at a point on the course not designated as an official aid station.

Race Director Gary Kutschar commented on this situation, saying, “During yesterday’s Hoag OC Marathon, we were forced to disqualify a participant after it was confirmed they received unauthorized assistance from an individual on a bicycle, in violation of USA Track & Field rules and our race regulations. We take these rules seriously to ensure fairness and the integrity of our event for all competitors.”

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However, in another case, Kenyan elite runner Paul Matheka was stripped of his seventh-place finish and prize money at the 2024 Kuala Lumpur Marathon for wearing a pair of carbon-plated shoes. Those Voltra JET carbon-plated racing shoes were not on World Athletics’ approved list, so the runner had to face the consequences. Well, almost anyone can run in a marathon, but they need to adhere to a certain set of rules, or else their efforts might be for nothing.