In one of the weird race finishes in current reminiscence, Chinese language marathoner Jie He was given the win at Sunday’s Beijing Half Marathon on a silver platter after three East African athletes slowed down for He to interrupt the tape.
Following the race, footage of the complicated end circulated on the Chinese language social media platform Weibo, sparking scrutiny. On Tuesday, World Athletics addressed the matter, stating that they’re conscious of what occurred and that there’s an ongoing investigation by native authorities into the incident.
The African athletes, who’re all sponsored by the Chinese language working shoe model Xtep, claimed that they had been to function pacemakers for He to interrupt the Chinese language half-marathon document of 62:33. Nevertheless, the three athletes ending the race raised suspicions, as pacers usually drop out and never cross the end line.
Many at the moment are questioning the integrity of He’s victory, particularly contemplating how a lot he struggled within the ultimate compared to the three East African athletes. The incident doubtlessly violates World Athletics Competitors Rule article 4.1, which prohibits any deliberate actions aimed toward altering the end result of an occasion for an athlete’s private achieve.
Organisers of the Beijing half marathon are investigating claims that three African athletes allowed China’s star runner He Jie to win the race.
Footage appeared to point out the athletes pointing to the road and slowing down earlier than waving previous He. @BBCAfrica pic.twitter.com/VZfKN86OCa
— Car Trackers (@VehicleTrackerz) April 16, 2024
He will likely be a member of China’s marathon staff on the 2024 Paris Olympic Video games, holding a private finest of two:06:58 from the Wuxi Marathon final month. Regardless of He’s notable achievements internationally, the scenario round his victory within the Beijing Half Marathon has solid a shadow over his fame.
Whereas many speculate the motives behind the East African athletes’, one runner Willy Mnangat of Kenya advised BBC Africa that he was not in Beijing to compete. “It was not a aggressive race for me,” mentioned Mnangat.
This isn’t the primary time this yr {that a} main race in China has come underneath scrutiny for its integrity. On the 2024 Xiamen Marathon, 15 of the 22 worldwide elite athletes both didn’t begin or didn’t end, regardless of the sphere being dubbed “the quickest marathon pack ever assembled” by World Athletics. Chinese language media later referred to as out the elites for accumulating look charges.
