Missing a three hour marathon by 18 seconds would normally be enough to keep a runner awake. For South Korean pop star SHINee Minho, the finish time quickly became the least of his problems.
The singer completed his first marathon at the JTBC Seoul Marathon on Sunday, November the 1st, recording 3:00:18. But footage circulating afterwards appeared to show another runner putting a hand against his back and waist, prompting allegations that he had received physical assistance.
Minho subsequently apologised and said he would not accept the result. Organisers have now accepted his decision, with his finishing time no longer being provided as an official record
A Marathon Debut Followed By Controversy
Initially, the story was about a celebrity coming close to breaking three hours on his first attempt at the distance.
Minho shared his finishing time on social media after the race, reflecting on narrowly missing his target. Completing 42.195km in just over three hours gave him plenty to celebrate, even with those final 18 seconds providing an obvious source of frustration.
Attention soon moved away from the clock, however, as clips of the race spread online. They appeared to show a man believed to be his pacemaker making contact with his lower back and waist while running alongside or behind him.
Some viewers interpreted the contact as assistance that helped him move forward and called for his result to be disqualified. Others argued that the footage was insufficient to establish a breachh.
Minho Apologises And Surrenders His Time
On Tuesday, November 3, Minho addressed the controversy in a social media statement.
He apologised for disappointing people, expressed shame over what had happened and said he would take greater care in future. He also stated that he would not accept his marathon result and expressed respect for runners who devote time and effort to the sport.
Reports published on Wednesday, November 4, confirmed that the organisers had accepted his request to withdraw the result. His 3:00:18 would therefore not be recognised as an official finishing time.
For most runners, the post marathon admin involves finding the finish photos and working out
A Withdrawn Result, Not A Confirmed Disqualification
The distinction between voluntarily giving up a time and being officially disqualified matters here.
According to The Herald Business, organisers accepted the decision from Minho’s team without formally confirming a rules violation.
The report said they had not reached a conclusion on how the relevant World Athletics rules applied to the event’s amateur division, or on the disputed physical contact itself. It would therefore be inaccurate to describe the outcome as a confirmed disqualification for cheating.
His apology and the withdrawal of his time are established. A formal finding that he broke the rules has not been confirmed in the reporting reviewed.
When Encouragement Becomes Assistance
The row touches on a distinction runners can readily understand. Having someone beside you to judge the pace, offer encouragement and keep you focused is one thing. Receiving physical help to move forward raises a different question.
In this case, that question became the centre of a public argument before an official ruling had been announced. Minho’s decision to surrender his time has settled the immediate issue of his result, but it should not be presented as a ruling the organisers did not make.
He covered the marathon distance and crossed the finish line. The 3:00:18 he initially celebrated, however, will not stand as his official result.
