An influencer who high-fived Ariana Grande during the New York City Marathon has been banned from the 2027 race after using a counterfeit bib bearing another runner's number.
Mike Clarke completed the 26.2-mile course on 1 November without an official entry, according to the New York Post.
The number, 4207, belonged to Nicolas Bourot, a French banking executive who had spent 10 years trying to secure a place. Bourot discovered the duplication when race photographs showed Clarke wearing his number.
French Runner Discovers His Number on Another Athlete
Bourot, chief security officer at French banking group BPCE, had travelled to New York for his first appearance at the city's marathon. His wife and friends arranged the trip as a surprise for his 50th birthday.
An experienced runner who had completed 10 previous marathons, Bourot enjoyed the crowds and shared photographs from the course with family and friends.
However, he later discovered another participant wearing his number in the event's photo gallery. Concerned that the duplication might affect his result, he checked the official records.
His finishing time remained three hours, 23 minutes and 23 seconds. Bourot criticised Clarke's unauthorised participation, pointing out how difficult it was to secure a legitimate entry.
Clarke Explains Why He Used the Fake Bib
Clarke posted footage showing him high-fiving Grande, who was watching runners near the finish line. The video went viral before questions emerged about his race entry.
According to the Post, Clarke acknowledged in a since-deleted YouTube video that he had not officially registered. He later told the newspaper he chose the number in memory of a deceased friend who had hoped to run the New York marathon in 2028.
Clarke said he did not know number 4207 belonged to Bourot. His explanation for choosing it has not been independently verified.
He also claimed he received a finisher's medal but later gave it to a child. Despite completing the course, Clarke was not an officially registered competitor.
Organisers Confirm 2027 Marathon Ban
New York Road Runners (NYRR), the marathon organiser, told the Post that Clarke had been banned from the 2027 event after receiving multiple reports about his counterfeit bib.
An NYRR spokesperson condemned unauthorised participation, warning that fraudulent entry endangered runners.
The organisation had previously told the newspaper it no longer deployed dedicated teams to intercept unregistered participants, relying instead on security checks near the start.
The 2026 marathon recorded 61,146 finishers, according to provisional figures released by NYRR on 2 November. Organisers said it was the first marathon to exceed 60,000 finishers.
Previous Influencer Faced Broader Ban
The controversy follows a separate incident involving running influencer Matt Choi. In 2024, NYRR disqualified Choi and banned him from future races after two unauthorised people accompanied him on electric bicycles while filming.
Clarke's reported ban, by contrast, concerns the 2027 marathon. Available reporting does not establish that he has been barred from all future NYRR events.
For Bourot, the duplicate number did not alter his official finishing time. He told the Post that his first New York marathon remained a special experience despite the incident.
