Korean Sport & Olympic Committee to review MINHO marathon controversy

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee has assigned a person in charge to review complaints regarding SHINee's MINHO, following allegations of physical assistance during the 2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon on the 1st. The review includes questioning his Group B starting assignment and his suitability as a promotional ambassador.

The controversy surrounding SHINee's MINHO (Choi Min-ho) receiving physical assistance during a marathon has reached the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee. Following allegations of receiving physical help during the race, the issue has escalated to include the appropriateness of his starting group assignment and whether he should maintain his status as a promotional ambassador. Just one day after MINHO issued a public apology, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee decided to review related civil complaints, shifting the debate from simple sports etiquette to a larger discussion regarding fairness and potential preferential treatment.

It has been confirmed that the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee received a complaint regarding MINHO's marathon controversy on the 4th and has assigned a person in charge to examine the matter. This action follows MINHO's apology posted on social media on the 3rd. The complaint does not merely seek to verify the allegations of assistance during the race, but also includes a request to review the appropriateness of his activities as a promotional ambassador for the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee.

The complainant requested that the secretariat of the '2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon' verify the application of race rules and the processing of records, and asked for necessary consultations between relevant agencies regarding the basis for MINHO's assignment to Group B. In particular, the complaint suggests that since MINHO is a promotional ambassador for the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, it must be examined whether the same standards were applied to him as to general participants and whether there are any issues regarding his roles and responsibilities as an ambassador.

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee appointed MINHO as a promotional ambassador last September. At that time, the committee announced plans to utilize his public influence for promotional activities aimed at vitalizing grassroots sports and delivering sports policy messages. However, as the marathon controversy raises questions about the meaning and fairness of his appointment, a debate has emerged regarding the scope of responsibility for promotional figures in the sports community.

The controversy began during the '2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon' held on the 1st. MINHO posted his record on social media, stating he completed his first full course of 42.195km in 3 hours 00 minutes 18 seconds. While the news of him achieving a time in the early 3-hour range during his first full course challenge drew attention, the atmosphere shifted after a video circulated showing another runner pushing MINHO's back and waist area while running together.

Criticism has been raised that the physical contact in the video may constitute physical assistance to aid forward progress rather than simple encouragement. As a marathon is a race where participants complete a set distance through their own physical strength and will, the act of moving forward with the help of another runner is directly linked to the legitimacy of the record. The controversy grew even larger because the record was certified during an official competition.

Ultimately, MINHO posted an apology on social media on the 3rd. He stated, "Everything happened due to my shortcomings," and "I do not accept this marathon result myself, and I will not forget the lessons learned in this process." While he attempted to settle the situation by expressing that he would not accept the controversial record, the issue of whether race rules were violated and how the record should be processed remains a separate matter for review.

Questions surrounding MINHO's assignment to starting Group B are also a core issue of this complaint. According to the first assignment criteria released by the race secretariat on September 30, the full course Group B is for participants who submitted records between 3 hours 00 minutes 00 seconds and 3 hours 27 minutes 54 seconds. This is why critics are calling for verification of the basis on which MINHO, who was challenging a full course for the first time, was assigned to that group.

Through a correction notice on October 1, the secretariat specified that half-marathon records are not reflected in full course or 10km records. Accordingly, interest is growing regarding which records were utilized in the process of assigning MINHO's starting group and whether the assignment criteria were applied consistently. However, whether the Group B assignment itself constituted preferential treatment must be confirmed through specific submitted record data and explanations from the secretariat.

The official nature of the event is a background factor making this controversy particularly sensitive. The 2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon is listed as a Category F road race on the official competition schedule of World Athletics. World Athletics specifies that, unless there are separate exceptions, results from listed competitions are recognized for calculating world rankings and qualifying for major championships. As a competition whose results can be used as official records, strictness in race rules and record management is required.

The 2026 technical rules of World Athletics also prohibit the act of moving forward with physical assistance from another runner. Except for cases where a fallen runner is helped up, receiving physical support during the course of the race is not permitted. While how the actions in the video apply to said rules must be judged based on specific circumstances and race operation standards, it is the reason why the controversy over physical assistance cannot be dismissed as a simple scene of cheering.

Despite MINHO's apology and his statement that he would not accept the record, the controversy continues because this matter cannot be concluded solely through an individual's reflection. Multiple issues are intertwined, including the transparency of the starting group assignment, the consistent application of race rules, the appropriateness of record processing, and the maintenance of his status as a promotional ambassador. As attention gathers on the direction the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee's review will take, this controversy asks once again what should be prioritized when the participation of a celebrity in sports clashes with the principle of fairness.

Read the original (Korean)