(CNN) — The top four finishers in the Beijing Half Marathon were stripped of their medals after an investigation found that three African runners deliberately slowed down to allow a Chinese competitor to win.
He crossed the finish line of last Sunday's race in 1:03:44 to win the gold medal and the first prize of US$5,500. The African trio were only a second behind in second place.
Video footage of the visit How Kenyan Willy Mnangat turns to him and motions for him to come forward as the four of them run side by side. Former 5km world record holder Robert Keter of Kenya appears to be calling on him to get ahead of the peloton, while he tells his compatriot Tejene Hailu of Ethiopia to stay behind.
The video caused a stir in China, where many called for an investigation and demanded action from the organizers.
In a statement released on Friday, the organizing committee said the three African runners “slowed down in the last two kilometers and as a result, He Jie won the men's championship”.
He added that the results of the four runners have been canceled and their trophies, medals and bonuses will be recovered.
Three African runners were invited to race as pacemakers (rabbits) by Chinese sports company Xtep, which sponsored both them and the Beijing half marathon, the team said.
However, according to the team, Xtep race operator Zhong'ao Lupao did not inform Beijing Sports Management that the trio were rabbits.
The committee disqualified the organization that runs the half marathon and banned Xtep from sponsoring races this season.
In a statement released Friday, Xtep offered a “sincere apology” to all brokers and their customers.
“We take great responsibility for this and fully accept the punitive decision taken by the organizing committee,” he said, promising to “seriously consider and carry out a thorough review to ensure that such incidents do not recur in future”. “
He, 25, has broken China's marathon record twice in the past two years and is considered one of the country's most promising long-distance runners. He is ranked 74th in the IAAF men's marathon world rankings and is expected to lead Asian runners at the upcoming Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
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