The London Marathon has formally backed out of Elon Musk’s social media platform X, previously Twitter, because of a hostile environment since Musk’s takeover. Event director Hugh Brasher said in January that the organization had withdrawn, although the account had a dedicated following of 190,000 users.
Brasher’s comments were in answer to a question about online abuse of British long-distance athlete Eilish McColgan. The 34-year-old Commonwealth gold medalist has recently complained about being ‘numb’ to the constant criticism of her physique on social media, following a video she posted showing her working out on a treadmill. She was cruelly told that she looked anorexic and like a “skeleton.
Her mother and trainer, Liz McColgan, the winner of the 1996 London Marathon publicly denounced the insults as ‘demeaning and abusive’.
Responding to the web abuse against McColgan, Brasher commented: “I think it’s abhorrent the abuse she’s had. How she’s stood up to that and how she’s responded is exemplary.”
He denounced the increasing vitriol on some platforms, saying: “But there are some social media platforms that are especially vitriolic and are sliding into a gutter. And because of that, London Marathon events have actually dropped off one of those platforms.”
Brasher subsequently confirmed he was talking about X, which Musk bought in 2022. “Just observing how that channel, the vitriol, it was no longer a rational discussion, it was no longer a nice place to be,” he said. “The London Marathon is positivity. It is a force for good and we didn’t feel that channel reflected those values and so we have dismounted from that channel.”
Details of the London Marathon
The 2025 London Marathon, to be held on Sunday, will have over 56,000 runners, and it could create a new record for the maximum number of finishers. The marathon should also raise millions for charity.
Independent of his normal routine, in an additional statement Brasher discussed the London Marathon’s stance on transgender athletes running in elite races following a UK Supreme Court ruling that defines a woman as being biologically female in British equalities legislation. He assured that trans women will remain barred from elite and championship female events but will remain open to the general race.
Calling the subject “complex,” Brasher stated officials will wait for more guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Sport England before implementing further policy decisions.
X has been approached for comment.
