On March 2nd, a marathon race was held in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, where some participants unexpectedly became the center of attention for urinating in front of a plaque at a local high school. The incident sparked widespread criticism online.
According to reports from mainstream media outlets such as Headline News, circulating photos on the internet show multiple runners appearing to urinate in front of the plaque of Suzhou Experimental High School in Jiangsu Province, with many others urinating behind portable toilets.
The Suzhou Marathon Organizing Committee responded on March 3rd to the viral claim of “multiple runners urinating at the school gate of the experimental high school”, stating that during the 2025 Suzhou Marathon, netizens reported through social media by posting videos and images, accusing individual participants of engaging in uncivil behavior on their way to the starting area and during the race.
The committee strongly condemned the behavior and stated that they have reported the situation to the relevant authorities and initiated an investigation process.
The incident sparked heated discussions among netizens:
“Isn’t this embarrassing? This is someone’s school gate, not a park.”
“The threshold for marathons is really low.”
“Urinating anywhere near someone’s school gate? The lack of manners is truly disappointing!”
“If you want to follow the trend of middle-class sports, then raise your standards along with it.”
“Suzhou often hosts marathons now, roads are blocked everywhere during the event, causing great inconvenience to the public. So, what’s the point of organizing such marathons?”
Some are questioning, “Are marathon runners not allowed to go to the toilet during the entire race? What if they need to go during the race?”
These actions have raised concerns about the conduct of participants in sporting events and the need for proper etiquette and respect for public spaces during such events. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding social decorum and behaving responsibly in public settings, especially when participating in community events that attract widespread attention.