A Few Cheaters Is Normal. This Race Had 258

Some face lifetime bans after Sunday's half marathon in Shenzhen
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 30, 2018 7:07 AM CST

More than 250 half-marathon runners are facing bans in China for what organizers describe as blatant cheating in a race in Shenzhen. Some 237 participants in Sunday's race face two-year bans after traffic cameras spotted them taking shortcuts. One video shows runners making a U-turn through a treed area well before the designated turn, shaving up to 1.8 miles off the 13.1-mile course, per CNN, which notes such races typically have only one or two cheaters.

Another 18 runners found to be wearing fake bibs and three participants who ran on behalf of others also face lifetime bans, per the Guardian. "We deeply regret the violations that occurred," organizers say. "Marathon running is not simply exercise, it is a metaphor for life, and every runner is responsible for him or herself." Some 16,000 runners are believed to have taken part in the race. (Read about the ludicrous Barkley Marathons.)

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