Bali's Tourism Office has made official permits mandatory for all running events and similar organized sporting activities on the island, following a controversy over a Canggu-based running club accused of excluding local Indonesians. The mandate was reported July 28, 2026, days after the club's two Dutch founders were placed on Indonesia's national entry ban list.
What happened
The controversy centered on Entourage Bali, a social running community in Canggu founded by two Dutch nationals to help expats and digital nomads meet people while living on the island. Backlash erupted after Indonesian social media users alleged that applications from Indonesian phone numbers were ignored, delayed, or rejected, while those with foreign numbers or Western names were approved faster, according to ANTARA News.
Authorities found the two organizers had violated their stay-permit conditions by running organized community events that weren't covered under their limited stay visas — both have since been banned from re-entering Indonesia. In response, I Wayan Sumarajaya, Head of the Bali Tourism Office, announced that all running events and comparable sporting activities now require an official permit, telling ANTARA: "We strongly support sports tourism, but we expect all business actors or individuals wishing to hold such events to comply with the regulations." Agung Bagus Pratiksa Linggih, Head of Commission II at Bali's Regional People's Representative Council, added: "I strongly condemn the racist acts in Bali. We welcome international tourists, but they must also respect that this is our home."
Why it matters
This is part of a wider pattern in Bali over the past couple of years: authorities tightening rules around foreign-run businesses, digital-nomad communities, and informal expat social scenes that have grown faster than local regulation. For travellers, it signals continued scrutiny of any group activity — from running clubs to co-working meetups — that isn't formally licensed, alongside broader moves toward increased surveillance of foreigners at Bali's top tourist spots.
What this means for your trip
If you're planning to join organized activities in Bali — running groups, fitness meetups, retreats — stick to established, licensed operators rather than informal expat-run groups you find through social media, since unpermitted organizers now face real regulatory consequences that could disrupt your plans mid-trip. This doesn't affect casual, independent activities like going for a run on your own or joining a hotel's in-house fitness program.
"We strongly support sports tourism, but we expect all business actors or individuals wishing to hold such events to comply with the regulations" — I Wayan Sumarajaya, Head of Bali Tourism Office, via ANTARA News
The bottom line
Bali continues tightening the rules around organized foreign-run activities on the island. It's a narrow, business-licensing issue rather than a travel restriction, but it's a reminder that Bali's regulatory environment for expat-run ventures is getting stricter, not looser.
