Chinese runner He Jie, along with three other top finishers in the Beijing half-marathon, have been stripped of their medals and awards after an investigation found that the other three runners deliberately slowed down to allow He to finish first. The controversial ending to the race was captured in a viral video showing the runners waving for He to pass them before the finish line.
The Beijing Half-Marathon Organizing Committee conducted an investigation into the race and found that the three runners did deliberately slow down to let He pass, leading to their disqualification from the race and reporting to the China Athletics Association. The blame was placed on Xtep, a sponsor of the event, for failing to properly register the three runners as non-competing “pacer” runners instead of competitors.
As a result of the investigation, Xtep has been disqualified as a partner for the Beijing Half-Marathon, and the race’s operator, Zhongao Luapao Beijing Sports Management Company, has also been disqualified from hosting and operating the event. Xtep has accepted responsibility for the situation and will fully accept the penalties imposed by the organizing committee.
He Jie is China’s top-ranked long-distance runner, with numerous accomplishments, including breaking a marathon record last year and having Olympic aspirations. Xtep has sponsored He since 2021, and he viewed the Beijing half-marathon as training for this year’s games in Paris. The company has not yet responded to the situation.
Long-distance running has become increasingly popular in China, but the sport has faced scrutiny before. In 2018, 258 runners in the Shenzhen half-marathon were caught cheating in various ways, such as wearing fake bibs or taking shortcuts. The recent controversy in the Beijing half-marathon highlights the importance of fair competition and proper event management in the sport.
