An investigation has been initiated after He Jie’s victory in the Beijing Half Marathon.
Just a few hundred meters before the finish line, the Chinese runner He Jie, 25, was ushered to victory in Beijing Half Marathon.
Now, three African star runners are being investigated for allegedly rigging the race.
“We are aware of the images that are circulating,” said World Athletics in a statement to BBC Sport.
The Beijing Half Marathon took place last Sunday in the central parts of the Chinese capital.
Home favorite He Jie, who holds the Chinese marathon record, secured the win with a time of 1:03:44 after a sprint battle with Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat from Kenya, and Ethiopian Dejene Hailu.
But how much of a sprint battle was it really? Images now circulating show that the three African runners appeared to escort He Jie to the victory.
The result is now in question
A few hundred meters from the finish line, the Chinese star runner was visibly waved forward to take the lead while the others crossed the line exactly at the same time, sharing second place.
The race organizers have now started an investigation and the outcome remains uncertain.
“We are aware of the images circulating from this weekend’s Beijing Half Marathon and understand that an investigation is currently being conducted by the relevant local authorities. The integrity of our sport is a top priority at World Athletics, and while this investigation is ongoing, we are unable to comment further,” said World Athletics in a statement to BBC Sport.
