Standard Chartered marathon organisers address allegations of 'safety lapses', say 'robust medical procedures in place'

After a runner collapsed during the 2025 Standard Chartered Half Marathon on Dec. 6, it apparently took 30 minutes before paramedics arrived via a buggy to provide medical treatment.

During that time, other runners, some of whom were medically trained, attended to the collapsed runner and performed cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and utilised an automated external defibrillator (AED).

The runner was eventually brought to the hospital to recover.

The event has since drawn criticism from some participants who alleged that the marathon had "safety lapses", such as a lack of medical supplies and equipment, inadequate ambulance access, and poorly coordinated medical response.

Other participants took to social media claiming that some runners fainted at the finish line due to "suffocating conditions" and poor crowd control.

Ambulance took 30 minutes: Doctor

A medical doctor who attended to the collapsed participant told Mothership that she saw other medically trained runners attending to the runner at the 15km mark of the marathon, located near Bay East Garden, at about 6:45am.

One of them was performing CPR on the fallen man as he apparently had no pulse.

"From what I gathered from other runners, the participant collapsed mid-run and fell forward," the reader said.

She added that a marathon official was attempting to contact the on-site ambulance and medical teams, but apparently "had no direct contact" and thus could not provide an estimate on the ambulance's arrival time.

The other runners eventually managed to revive the man's breathing and pulse, following a few cycles of CPR and an AED shock, but he apparently drifted in and out of consciousness.

About 10 to 15 minutes after an ambulance was activated, another official arrived on a scooter, but said their station's medical kit "had already been used for another casualty".

"Without appropriate medical equipment, there was limited intervention we could provide beyond maintaining airway support, monitoring pulse, and preparing to resume CPR if necessary," the reader said.

She also attempted to call the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for assistance, but her request was denied as the on-site ambulance had already been activated.

The reader said that she understood the delay was because the ambulance was "unable to locate us".

Eventually, at about 7:15am, paramedics arrived on a buggy and evacuated the runner to an ambulance, which took him to the hospital.

The reader said she had previously volunteered at an event to provide medical support and said a 30-minute ambulance wait is an "unacceptably long time".

She claimed that, according to her conversations with event officials, there was apparently "no medical command centre" and "medical stations did not have direct means of contacting one another".

She also felt the organiser should have a clear standard operating procedure (SOP) for medical emergencies, including the activation of secondary teams, and contingency planning for situations where medical supplies are insufficient.

She added: "In my opinion, the casualty’s immediate care depended heavily on medically trained participants who happened to be nearby. If such individuals had not been present, there is a real possibility that the outcome might have been worse."

Medical tent was not well-equipped: Nurse

Similar claims were shared on Instagram by a nurse.

Hazman said he assisted two runners who were feeling unwell during the half marathon.

He said he saw a runner with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) trying to climb out of the barricades, so he brought the man to an ambulance.

However, the medical staff could not provide glucose water or an alternative, such as a sweet drink, Hazman claimed.

For the second case, Hazman brought another runner who was experiencing hypoxia (lack of oxygen) to a medical tent, but there was no ambulance available.

"The crew told me the ambulance had already gone to Singapore General Hospital (SGH). That's not good enough," he said.

Hazman said the man's lips were already "turning blue" at that point, and medical staff subsequently had to put him on oxygen.

Hazman urged organisers to improve on the medical response and "do better" for the full marathon on Dec. 7.

Organisers' response

A spokesperson for Ironman, the event organiser, said there was a fully staffed medical command centre at the event with "robust medical protocols in place, developed in consultation with healthcare professionals and submitted to the relevant authorities".

“The safety and well-being of all participants at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) is our top priority," said the spokesperson.

In addition to the command centre, multiple medical posts and tents were deployed along the route, and at the start and finish venues, supported by trained doctors, nurses, and emergency responders.

The spokesperson also said communication systems were in place to coordinate between medical stations and the command centre.

"Medical scenarios were also played out during a tabletop exercise to ensure there was alignment with command centre, medical providers and staffs," the spokesperson added.

What was done when the runner collapsed?

Regarding the runner who collapsed, the spokesperson said that after the command centre received the alert, it provided support, monitored the situation, and also followed through with the hospital providing care for the patient.

The spokesperson said: "Our team worked within the planned protocols to ensure the participant’s safety was looked after. The participant is well and recovering."

The spokesperson also addressed allegations about poor medical access at the event, saying: "To ensure medical access in areas like Gardens by the Bay East, our medical plan included deploying medical buggies and bikes to reach runners quickly in these areas. As an added step, the park connector at Gardens by the Bay East was also closed to public to reduce congestion for participants."

"Feedback from participants and medical professionals is invaluable, and we remain committed to reviewing our processes to uphold the highest standards of safety and care,” the spokesperson concluded.

Top image from Mothership reader & user59674196868313/TikTok