Hong Kong, April 16 : The victory of Chinese runner He Jie in the Beijing Half Marathon on Sunday has sparked controversy, with his win being questioned after African runners appeared to deliberately slow down to let him cross the finish line first, CNN reported.
A video clip capturing the final moments of the race shows a remarkable scene: Kenya's Willy Mnangat turns towards He Jie and gestures for him to move ahead as the four runners, including former 5km world record-holder Robert Keter of Kenya and Ethiopia's Dejene Hailu, run side by side just metres from the finish line.
In a display that raised eyebrows, Keter then seems to signal for He Jie to overtake the pack while motioning for his compatriot and Hailu to hold back. The Chinese runner indeed crosses the finish line in 1:03:44, claiming the USD 5,500 first prize, with the trio of African runners just one second behind, jointly securing second place, according to CNN.
The video clip captures the African runners applauding He's victory and patting him on the back, though He himself appears less jubilant despite achieving his first-ever competitive half-marathon win.
At 25 years old, He Jie, who has previously broken China's marathon record twice, confessed to reporters after the race that he "was not in [his] best competitive state," but he remained silent on the controversial finish.
The race outcome swiftly ignited discussions on Chinese social media platforms, with calls for an investigation into the event and demands for action from organisers.
One user on Weibo emphasised the importance of fairness in sports, stating that the "ways of the world" should not compromise the integrity of competition.
Another popular comment said: "I support an investigation, and fair play is vital," with the user adding they hoped authorities "can give a clear explanation to maintain the fairness of competition and respect athletes' efforts."
Responding to the public outcry, race organisers, the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau, and the Chinese Athletics Association issued a statement on Monday, affirming their commitment to addressing the matter. They announced an ongoing investigation into the matte, as reported by CNN.
Xstep, the Chinese sports company sponsoring both He Jie and the Beijing Half Marathon, acknowledged the situation in a statement to state-run outlet The Paper, noting that multiple parties were involved in investigating and verifying the incident.
"Further information will be communicated as soon as possible," Xstep said in a statement to the outlet.
Meanwhile, World Athletics, the international governing body for the sport, acknowledged awareness of the footage circulating online and revealed that local authorities were conducting their own investigation.
"The integrity of our sport is the highest priority at World Athletics," it said.
Sports analyst Mark Dreyer, author of "Sporting Superpower: An Insider's View on China's Quest to Be the Best," weighed in on the controversy, describing the finish as a "bad look."
"It's one thing for four runners running right at the end to potentially hold hands or cross the line together in a show of sportsmanship. That's not what we saw," he said, adding, "It's not a sprint finish for anyone other than He Jie. It doesn't take a genius or running expert to figure that out."
Despite the unfolding controversy, He Jie, hailing from northwest China's Ningxia region, remains a figure of promise in long-distance running. Ranked 77th in the world in the men's marathon by World Athletics, he is anticipated to play a significant role in representing Asian runners in the upcoming Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
"He Jie is elite," Dreyer said. "He doesn't need charity like this," CNN reported.