Seven runners’ belongings remain missing after chaos at the Hong Kong Streetathon’s baggage retrieval area on Sunday, with the organizer attributing the incident to a Wi-Fi system failure.
Andes Leung Pak-hang, co-founder and chief executive of RunOurCity, apologized again during a Monday morning radio program for the disruption that left runners scrambling for hours to locate their bags after finishing the race.
Leung said the event introduced new technology this year by using QR codes on runners’ bibs to streamline the tracking and retrieval of personal items. But during the peak post-race period, staff were unable to scan the codes due to the breakdown of the Wi-Fi system, which caused all devices to lose network connectivity.
He added that the backup system prepared beforehand also failed, forcing staff to shift to manual searches to locate hundreds of bags.
Leung said seven runners reported yesterday that their belongings remain missing, and the team is maintaining close communication with them to provide support.
He noted that system tests had been conducted before race day, and the team is now reviewing the incident with the logistics contractor.
Leung said he is committed to re-evaluating and redesigning the entire process. One option under consideration is reverting to a manual baggage-handling approach, with technology serving only as a supporting tool to ensure smoother retrieval for participants.
Addressing runners’ frustration, Leung acknowledged that verbal apologies are not enough, adding that the only way to regain trust is to “do the right thing” through concrete improvements and visible results.
