Organisers of the world-famous Indy 500 have come under fire for releasing thousands of balloons on 26 May 2019 as part of their ongoing race day traditions.
The release – which took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – has been the subject of much discussion both on- and off-line, with campaign groups and individuals asking the race organisers to put an end to the tradition once and for all.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has released balloons on race day since the 1940s and has stated that its ‘balloons are biodegradable and therefore pose little risk to wildlife’. This year’s release went ahead despite a high-profile publicity campaign from Balloons Blow.
IMS president Doug Boles announced prior to the race that the balloon release would remain part of Indianapolis 500 tradition, but spokesperson Alex Damron later qualified that the organisers were also evaluating feedback on the issue: “We’re reaching out to several stakeholders and talking with experts to fully understand the impact of this practice and determine its status in the years ahead.”
IMS has been the subject of a barrage of complaints and criticism since it posted a video of the 2019 release on Twitter.
