NANJING, China, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- China's National Games, billed as a rehearsal for the 2008 Olympics, ended Sunday amid a spate of scandals over doping and match-fixing.
The 12-day games, featuring 9,900 athletes in 32 sports, were held in Jiangsu province, which had spent $14 billion on preparations, including building stadiums and widening roads in the provincial capital of Nanjing, the South China Morning Post reported Monday.
Twenty-six doping cases were revealed, including top distance runner Sun Yingjie, who was stripped of her silver medal in the 10,000-meter competition after failing a drug test last Friday.
There were also widespread accusations of match-fixing and bribery. Official media accused coaches and referees of drawing up medal lists for gymnastics events before they started.
Athletes and coaches complained of foul play in cycling, gymnastics, tennis, boxing and taekwondo, the report said.
In an incident acknowledged in front of a live TV audience, Olympic judo champion Sun Fuming fell and conceded defeat after receiving a hand signal from her coach.
Sports authorities gave Sun's coach a mild reprimand and ordered a rematch, in which Sun again lost.
