Organizers Of The Hong Kong Marathon Have Put A Ban On Taking Selfies

AP"Selfie" may be a word in the Oxford English Dictionary, but don't expect that to be a valid excuse for taking one if you plan on running the Hong Kong Marathon this year.

Organizers behind the race have banned taking front-facing glamor shots after a woman stopped during last year's marathon to take a photo of herself, causing runners to crash into her, BetaBeat reports.

Marathon chairman William Ko said he initially hoped to ban mobile phones entirely during the marathon, but quickly realized "that is almost impossible".

Instead, Ko will launch an "anti-selfie" campaign on social media and television this month and extend until mid-February, when the marathon will take place.

"For the race itself we will have officials to hold some message boards to remind people not to take photos at the start, on the route or at the finish because it is dangerous," Ko said.