What Makes a Guinness World Record Official?

Imagine running for 100 miles, setting what you consider a world record, and then finding out it doesn’t count. That was the experience of American professional ultrarunner, Camille Herron. Last year, Heron completed the race in 12 hours 41 minutes 11 seconds, a whole minute faster than her own world record of 12:42:40, which she set in 2017.

Of course, like all world records, Herron’s ‘record’ underwent an extensive review process to become official. The course was remeasured in February 2022 and again in October 2022. It was determined that the course had been slightly altered and was short by 716 feet. As a result, a USA Track & Field committee decided not to ratify the record.

Fast forward to 2023; another record is on the verge of being broken. This time, it is not 100 miles, but 100 straight hours of cooking, a feat recently accomplished by Nigerian chef, Hilda Baci. Upon writing, Baci’s record remains unofficial. Approval from the Guinness World Records team can take up to twelve weeks but could be expedited by the Guinness Priority Evidence Review service. Like Herron, Baci will have to await the outcome of a process that, in the end, could disqualify her amazing feat.

Baci’s processes to receive official recognition prompt a critical exploration of potential biases in the Guinness World Records. How does the process really work? What determines a record being new, official, and accurate? Understanding what happens after a record is ‘unofficially’ broken can shed light into the potential biases and ethical considerations for Guinness World Records moving forward.

VERIFICATION OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN

The process of record initiation is a comprehensive sequence designed to maintain the integrity of the Guinness World Records. Guinness initiates the process through idea validation, where a proposed record is compared against existing records. This validation ensures novelty, as the proposed record must be unique and distinguishable. It also needs to conform to the record guidelines, which state that a record should be measurable, breakable, standardizable, verifiable, and universal.

Once a record idea is validated, it enters the verification process, where individuals must provide extensive proof of requirements for the claim. It includes videos or photos of the attempt, two independent witness statements, a logbook, and more. The purpose is to eliminate any room for doubt, ensuring that each record is objectively verifiable.

An integral part of the application process is the Priority Evidence Review service. This service, available at a cost of £350 / $550 US / €440 (plus VAT where applicable), offers a fast-tracked evidence review for applicants eager to confirm their achievements. The quicker turnaround, however, has implications. While it may expedite a record holder’s official recognition, it might also foster bias by granting privilege to those who can afford the fee. For Ms. Baci, this comes out to be approximately ₦415,250 using the black market rate.

The combination of meticulous validation and verification processes, adherence to strict guidelines, and proof requirements are crucial in ensuring the credibility and universality of each record while also managing potential bias in the system. It remains essential for Guinness World Records to continually reevaluate these processes, preserving the integrity and inclusiveness of this historic institution.

HILDA BACI’S PENDING RECORD

On 02 April 2023, Nigerian gastronomic virtuoso and entrepreneur, Hilda Baci (née Hilda Effiong Bassey), proclaimed her intent to rewrite the Guinness annals for the most protracted individual cooking marathon. Aiming to outdo the existing record by Indian culinary artist, Lata Tandon, Baci disclosed a meticulously charted five-year plan.

Baci’s audacious bid to break the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual now hinges on two main factors: firstly, the perseverance and dedication she already exhibited by planning and executing a non-stop cooking marathon for over 100 hours. Secondly, her ability to comply with the extensive validation process set by the Guinness World Records. However, the latter component represents the system’s potential vulnerability to bias. The Guinness World Records, while priding itself on its meticulous verification procedure, implicitly expects participants to have substantial resources at their disposal to document their attempts accurately and submit a comprehensive evidence package.

Although the Guinness World Records have acknowledged Baci’s attempt, it is yet to be confirmed as the official new record. Herein lies a subtle bias. The records management team can take up to 12 weeks to evaluate the submitted documentation. This duration could dissuade individuals with limited resources who cannot afford the Priority Evidence Review service, which guarantees a five-day turnaround but comes at a significant fee. This factor may skew the field in favour of participants who can afford this expedited review, revealing a socio-economic bias in the system.

However, Baci’s story might challenge the system’s potential bias. She hails from Nigeria, a country that, despite its economic constraints, has witnessed its citizens secure remarkable world records. Baci follows in the footsteps of Nigerians such as Stephen Keshi, Bayo Omoboriowo, and Ayodeji Balogun (Wizkid), demonstrating that, while the system may seemingly favour those with resources, determined individuals can still break barriers.

The global acknowledgment and anticipation that Baci’s attempt has generated could push the Guinness World Records to review its procedures and reconsider whether the substantial fees associated with the Priority Evidence Review service could be adjusted or waived for deserving candidates.

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What Makes a Guinness World Record Official?

VERIFICATION OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN

HILDA BACI’S PENDING RECORD

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