The four runners approached the finish line close together, as they had been for much of the race. But then three of the runners appeared to move aside and gesture for the fourth, He Jie of China, to pass them.
Mnangat later told The South China Morning Post that the African runners had been hired as pacemakers in an effort to help He break the Chinese half-marathon record. All four runners have now been disqualified.
During the last two kilometers of the race, three of the pacemakers actively slowed down, the investigation concluded, leading He to win the men's race. A committee formed to investigate the incident said it would withdraw their trophies, medals, and bonuses.
An official with the Chinese Athletics Association stated that they would further strengthen supervision, guidance, and services of road running events. The association aims to learn from this event and ensure fair competition.
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