A Texas social media influencer has been disqualified from the New York City Marathon and banned from future races after running with a camera crew on electric bicycles. Matthew Choi, whose actions were deemed in violation of the New York Road Runners (NYRR) code of conduct and competition rules, as well as those of World Athletics, faced swift repercussions announced by NYRR on Tuesday.
Choi, 29, completed the prestigious 26.2-mile course in 2:57:15, a far cry from the winning time of 2:07:14 set by men’s champion Abdi Nageeye. Videos of Choi’s marathon run, posted on his social media accounts, drew immediate backlash. According to NYRR, Choi’s use of an e-bike entourage obstructed other runners and breached the guidelines meant to ensure fair play and safety.
“As a runner, seeing him was amazing. Gave me extra motivation to pass him and make sure I never had to see him and his dumb crew for the rest of the race,” commented one Reddit user, summing up the frustration shared by many participants.
Choi, a former Monmouth University football player from Austin, Texas, did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. However, he took to Instagram to express regret to his more than 400,000 followers, admitting that his actions jeopardized fellow runners and disrupted the race. He acknowledged blocking some runners from accessing water stations and impeding their potential for personal bests during the event, which saw over 55,000 finishers traversing New York City’s five boroughs.
“I have no excuses, full-stop,” Choi stated in a heartfelt Instagram post. “I was selfish on Sunday to have my brother and my videographer follow me around on e-bikes, and it had serious consequences.”
Choi’s apology emphasized the broader impact of his actions. “With the New York City Marathon being about everyone else and the community, I made it about myself,” he confessed. “And for anyone I impacted, I’m sorry. To be clear, this was 100% on me.”
Despite having the right to appeal, Choi indicated he would accept the consequences of his actions. “I made my bed, so I’m gonna lay in it,” he said, reflecting on past criticisms for using e-bike film crews in other major competitions. “It won’t happen again. My word is my bond.”
In light of Choi’s transgressions, NYRR’s strict enforcement of race regulations serves as a stern reminder to all competitors about the importance of adhering to the established codes of conduct.
