Chinese fitness influencer Sun Yuanyuan—better known as Abeeeer on Chinese social media—was dropped by sponsor Brooks after a photo surfaced showing her riding a bicycle during the Berlin Marathon.
The German race, held at the end of September, saw Sun claim a personal best, only for an Instagram account dedicated to exposing inaccurate race times to post a picture of her cycling between the 35‑ and 40‑kilometre markers.
In response, Brooks China terminated its sponsorship and the marathon organisers disqualified her finish time, citing a breach of the event’s rules and the sport’s integrity.
Within hours, Sun posted an apology on Rednote, admitting she had “broken the rules” and that her lapse had been an attempt at cheating, adding that she felt “deeply guilty”.
The incident highlights a growing trend of GPS‑based fabrication and selective Strava data sharing among fitness influencers, a trend that the Official Marathon Time Integrity Unit (OMTIU) seeks to combat to preserve fair competition.
