The London Marathon has become the latest organisation to boycott X, saying it has “descended into a gutter” under Elon Musk’s ownership.
The 2025 edition is set to become the world's largest marathon, with more than 56,000 people expected to finish this year's race.
But event director Hugh Brasher on Wednesday revealed a decision was taken in January to stop posting on X despite boasting more than 190,000 followers.
The London Marathon Foundation, which has just shy of 1,000 followers, has also left the platform.
Mr Brasher’s comments came after he was asked about the recent abuse suffered online by Eilish McColgan.
The Scottish runner was accused of “looking like a skeleton” and having anorexia by trolls after posting videos on social media of her training before Sunday’s race.
“I think it’s abhorrent the abuse that she’s had,” Mr Brasher said during a press conference. “How she has held herself and responded to that is exemplary.”
“But there are some social media channels that are particularly vitriolic and are descending into a gutter. And as a result of that, London Marathon events have actually come off one of those channels.”
Mr Brasher confirmed that the channel in question was X, formerly known as Twitter, which was purchased by Tesla and SpaceX founder Mr Musk in 2022.
Mr Musk strongly backed Donald Trump’s ultimately successful presidential bid and has now been given a role cutting government spending in his administration.
From luxury fashion house Balenciaga to The Guardian newspaper, brands across industries are rethinking their association with X, with the London Marathon the latest to join ranks in boycotting the site.
“It’s as a result of where we believe that channel has descended to,” Mr Brasher said. “Of just looking at how that channel, the vitriol, the level of it … it was ceasing to be a rational conversation.”
Mr Brasher said the values of X sharply contrast with the aims of the London Marathon, which was set up in 1981 by his father Chris and John Disley.
“The London Marathon is about positivity,” he added.
‘We didn’t feel that channel shared those values, and therefore we have come off.”
Mr Brasher also confirmed that transgender women will still be allowed to run in the London Marathon as females, despite the Supreme Court ruling last week that “sex” refers to “biological sex” in equality law.
He said he was waiting to see a report from the Equalities Human Rights Commission and Sport England over how to implement the decision by Britain’s top judges.
“The London Marathon has been very clear about protecting women’s rights,” he said. “To take part in good-for-age, championship, elite and age-group prizes, they have to be birth women, as defined by the courts.
“We obviously will meet what the law says. We delight in being both inclusive but also protecting in-competition the rights of women, which is incredibly important.”
