Shenzhen Half-Marathon cheating scandal, more than 250 bans handed down

Shenzhen Half-Marathon embroiled in cheating scandal, more than 250 bans handed down

Nov 2018

PHOTO: Chinese state media has labelled the cheating scandal "deeply shameful". (iStockPhoto/Sergey Ivanov)

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More than 250 runners have been caught cheating during the Shenzhen Half-Marathon in China, with organisers handing out hundreds of bans after last weekend's race.

The majority of the bans were for runners taking shortcuts — 237 people were caught on traffic cameras cutting through bushes — while several other runners were found to be wearing fake bibs.

Organisers said those who took the shortcut would have run up to three kilometres less than the full 21.1km distance.

"We deeply regret the violations that occurred during the event," Chinese news outlet Xinhua quoted organisers as saying.

"Marathon running is not simply exercise, it is a metaphor for life, and every runner is responsible for him or herself."

Chinese media has come down harshly on the scandal, with the People's Daily calling on runners to "respect the marathon and respect sporting spirit", while Xinhua labelled it "deeply shameful".

"Don't run and forget why you run. Don't let the marathon turn sour," it said.

A sharp rise in the number of events in recent years and mass participation has also been blamed for the problem.

China has held 1,072 marathons and road races this year, up from 22 in 2011, according to the Xinhua report, quoting figures from the Chinese Athletics Association.