The London Marathon has announced it will no longer engage with X (formerly Twitter), citing the platform’s increasingly hostile environment.
Race director Hugh Brasher condemned the social media site for fostering abuse and negativity, stating it had “ceased to be a positive place.”
The London Marathon’s official X account, which boasts 191,000 followers, last posted on January 17, 2025. The decision to leave the platform follows a disturbing incident involving British athlete Eilish McColgan, who faced body-shaming and abusive comments ahead of her debut in this year’s race. McColgan’s mother and coach, Liz, described the remarks as “demeaning and abusive,” highlighting the darker side of social media interactions.
Brasher called the abuse “abhorrent” and pointed to it as a key reason for the marathon’s departure from X.
“There are some social media channels that are particularly vitriolic and are descending into a gutter,” he said.
“It was ceasing to be a rational conversation. It was ceasing to be a positive place to be.”
Since Elon Musk acquired Twitter for $44 billion in 2022, rebranding it as X, the platform has faced criticism for its handling of hate speech, misinformation, and abusive content.
Many brands and organizations have reconsidered their presence on X due to concerns over brand safety and community standards. The London Marathon’s withdrawal adds to a growing list of entities distancing themselves from the platform.
Brasher, who has been race director since 2012, emphasized the marathon’s founding principles of unity and positivity. The event was established in 1981 by his father, Chris Brasher, and John Disley with the vision of bringing people together in celebration.
“One of the aims of my father and John was to show that on occasion, the family of humankind could be joyous together and celebrate together,” Brasher said.
“That’s what the London Marathon is about. It is a force for good. We didn’t feel that channel shared those values, and therefore we have come off.”
Despite stepping back from X, the London Marathon continues to thrive as one of the world’s most prestigious running events.
This Sunday’s race aims to break the marathon world record for most finishers. With over 56,000 participants expected, it could surpass the 55,646 finishers recorded at last year’s New York Marathon.
