Two Europeans banned from Indonesia after hosting 'discriminatory' Bali event

Two Dutch men have been banned from Bali after being accused of hosting a running club which discriminated against local people.

The men - who've been identified as JAS, 35, and HQV, 37 - landed in Singapore last Wednesday after departing the Indonesian island, following a decision from immigration officials to place the pair on a 'no-entry list', according to a report from The Telegraph.

They will not be allowed back into Indonesia.

At the centre of the incident was an upcoming run organised by Entourage Bali, an expat community created by the two men, which was facing allegations of discrimination against locals.

Entourage Bali had been organising a run on the island, but when locals tried to join the group, they claim their applications were rejected.

"Utilising public spaces while rejecting local residents is unacceptable."

Allegations of discrimination went viral on Indonesian social media when locals who attempted to sign up to the Entourage run said they had been rejected due to having Indonesian names and phone numbers.

"Dear Entourage Bali! You postponed my application becaise [sic] I have an Indonesian name and number, yet you accepted my husband’s application right away because he has Western name and number! Shame on you," read one allegation shared on Threads, tagging local immigration authorities.

The backlash later caught the attention of Indonesian Senator Niluh Djelantik, who shared her condemnation of the group on Instagram.

"Bali is welcoming, but our hospitality should never be mistaken for a license to disrespect us," she said, adding that she had also spoken to immigration officials about the incident.

"Utilising public spaces while rejecting local residents is unacceptable."

Meanwhile, Indonesia's immigration chief Hendarsam Marantoko told reporters there should not be a 'state within a state' when it came to expat groups, via the BBC.

"We consider this running club to be functioning as a 'state within a state," he added.

Running group responds to allegations of discrimination

A statement issued on the Entourage Bali Instagram page has since claimed that Indonesian numbers had been 'incorrectly' rejected and added that the community was intended to be a place that was 'inclusive' for everyone.

"We are extremely sorry for the people that have been offended and hurt, and we have never meant to be disrespectful or discriminating to anyone," the statement began.

"Entourage was created as a community for digital nomads in Bali, to help people who are new to the island connect with others and do fun activities together during their stay.

"Being a digital nomad is not defined by nationality. Our community includes members from many countries, including Indonesia."

The group went on to explain that while some activities were geared towards certain groups, such as digital nomads or women's groups, the run clubs were open for everyone, adding that 25 percent of participants at a recent Silent Disco Run were Indonesian.

"Our goal has always been to build an inclusive community and contribute positively to Bali," the statement continued, before going on to confirm that upcoming events had been paused for the foreseeable future.

"We are pausing all of events and activities for now," the post added.

"We take full accountability for what has happened and promise we will make real changes going forward."