Bali Running Club Dispute Sparks Immigration Crackdown and Debate on Foreigners

A dispute over a Bali running club, Entourage Bali, has escalated into a broader immigration crackdown and public debate about the role of foreigners on the island. The controversy began when the club was accused of discriminating against Indonesian applicants by rejecting their registrations while accepting foreigners. Indonesian immigration officials subsequently barred two Dutch nationals involved with the club from re-entering the country, citing immigration violations and the club functioning as a 'state within a state'. The club apologized, citing errors in its automated approval process, and paused all activities. Other running clubs in Bali also temporarily halted events. The incident has drawn criticism from prominent Indonesians, including a Bali senator, and reflects Bali's increasingly assertive enforcement of immigration rules amid record tourism. Between January and June 2025, Bali deported 342 foreign nationals, up from 378 in all of 2024 and 335 in 2023.