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Bali running club pauses operations amid allegations of blocking local residents
Bali newsBali12 min read
Entourage Bali, a running club known for its "silent disco" events, has temporarily halted all activities following accusations that it systematically prevented local Indonesian residents from joining. Leaked screenshots reportedly show applicants being asked for their nationality and then rejected if they were Indonesian. The organization, which caters to digital nomads and tourists, issued an apology on Friday, stating it "made errors in automated approval processes for our WhatsApp group and non-running events," leading to a bias where some Indonesian numbers were incorrectly rejected. The controversy has sparked widespread outrage on social media, with locals and expats criticizing the group for allegedly creating exclusive foreign-only communities on public Balinese roads. Despite previous claims that 25% of participants were locals, an Australian runner observed that approximately 95% of a recent event's attendees were foreign. Entourage Bali operates in Canggu, Uluwatu, and Ubud, managing WhatsApp networks for foreigners to find housing, sell items, and attend social meetups. The organizers have confirmed internally that all upcoming events are paused.
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