The aim isn’t to win at all costs, but to get moving, have a laugh and build team spirit. To ensure it works for everyone, fairness between teams is essential. Here’s what counts as cheating.
Using multiple accounts. Logging in on a colleague’s phone to rack up points on top of your own doesn’t count. Everyone must play using their own account.
Step simulators. Pendulums, motors, electric scooters registered as bikes… the app relies on the phone’s actual movement, so these techniques always end up being spotted.
Unauthorised indoor activities. Treadmills, home trainers, exercise bikes: these aren’t counted, as there’s no GPS. Some indoor activities may be permitted depending on the challenges.
Fake Strava activities. Creating an activity without actually having done it, or editing it afterwards to inflate the distance, distorts the rankings for the whole team.
Manually adding steps. Google Fit, Samsung Health or other external trackers are not synchronised with the app.
Possible penalties:
- Deletion of the activities or points in question
- Deduction of points, particularly for missions
- Exclusion from the challenge, as a last resort
- A warning sent to the captain
The aim is not to go on a witch-hunt, but to ensure everyone continues to enjoy the experience. The real winning strategy: moving together and enjoying the journey more than the rankings.