China – Chinese runner He Jie was stripped of his title as first place winner in the Beijing Half Marathon last weekend, following an investigation confirmed that three African runners slowed down to give him a chance to win the race.
The four contestants were disqualified and had to return their medals and prize money.
Chinese netizens had shared a video clip of the final moments of the race held last Sunday, suspecting it had been rigged.
The video clip showed three East African runners allowing He Jie, the best Chinese long-distance runner, to pass them shortly before they reached the finish line.
The three competitors deliberately slowed down, according to a statement issued by the race investigation committee.
The committee said the four runners were originally selected as competitors by a sponsor, but the main organizers were not aware of this.
The statement did not acknowledge whether the race was rigged or not, but offered an apology.
The committee said in its statement, “We express our deep and sincere apologies to the world and to every individual in society because we did not discover and correct the errors in a timely manner in this race.”
Zhonghao Lubao Sports Management Company, the main organizer of the race, lost its right to host the Beijing Half Marathon as punishment.
Source: A B
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2024-04-21 13:30:34