Athletics-China revokes win for He Jie after investigation into half marathon

Xtep International Holdings

19/04/2024 11:14

HONG KONG, April 19 (Reuters) - The winner of Beijing's
half marathon He Jie and three African runners have had their
results cancelled after an investigation found that the three
slowed down near the line allowing the Chinese athlete to finish
first, organisers said on Friday.     
    He had won the race held last Sunday in China's capital in a
time of 1:03:44, a second ahead of Ethiopian Dejene Hailu
Bikila, and Kenyans Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat, who tied for
second place. 
    The organising committee said in a statement that the three
African runners "actively slowed down in the last 2 kilometres
and as a result He Jie won the men's championship."
    All trophies, medals and bonuses will be withdrawn and the
athletes will be reported to the Chinese Athletics Association,
it said. 
    Race operator, the Zhongao Lupao Beijing Sports Management
company, will also be disqualified from hosting and operating
the Beijing half marathon, the committee added.
    Mnangat told the BBC that the trio ran as pacemakers and
were not competing. 
    However, the committee said pacers would not have been
allowed to participate as specially invited athletes without
organisers' approval.
        The Zhongao Lupao Beijing Sports Management company said
its partner Xiamen Xtep Investment, a unit of Hong Kong listed
Xtep  1368.HK , failed to note the relevant pacer information,
which led to the organising committee not being informed. 
    "Our company has unshirkable responsibility and would like
to experience our sincere apologies to all runners." 
He has been sponsored by Xtep since 2021 according to its
website.
    Xtep said staff had made a mistake during the registration
process and did not identify the pacers. 
    "We bear a great responsibility and fully accept the
punishment decision made by the organising committee," Xtep said
in a statement. 
    He was slightly behind the three African runners as they
approached the end of the race but they slowed down and waved
the Chinese athlete ahead as they gestured towards the finish
line. The four had run together throughout the race of just over
13 miles. 
    The finish drew widespread scepticism with some social media
users commentating that the result was "embarrassing" for He, a
member of China's marathon team and national record holder.   
    Long distance running races are increasingly popular in
China but have a chequered history of cheating and poor
organisation. In Shenzhen's 2018 half marathon 258 participants
were caught cheating, most of whom had taken shortcuts while
some wore fake bibs and others were impostors. 

 (Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong and Ella Cao in Beijing
Editing by Toby Davis)
 ((farah.master@thomsonreuters.com; +852 3462 7709;))