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The organizers of the Shenzhen Half Marathon promised that the 258 participants caught cheating during last weekend's race would not be able to avoid punishment for their actions.
Xinhua News Agency reported Thursday that 18 riders wearing fake bibs, as well as three impostors, would be banned for life.
The other 237 people, most of whom had shortcuts during the race and were intercepted by traffic cameras and local photographers, could be banned for two years.
"We deeply regret the violations that took place during the event." Marathon runner is not just an exercise, it's a metaphor for life, and every runner is responsible for himself, " the organizers said, quoted by Xinhua.
The news of cheating sparked China's outrage, prompting the People's Daily to urge runners to "respect the marathon and abide by sportsmanship" in an editorial.
The problem has also been attributed to a sharp increase in the number of events occurring in recent years and to a massive turnout.
China has run 1,072 marathons and road races this year, up from 22 in 2011, according to the Xinhua report, citing figures from the Chinese Athletics Association.
Reuters
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