Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Organizers of the Shenzhen Half Marathon in China said a total 258 runners were disqualified for cheating -- including some caught on video.
The organizers said 18 runners were found to have fake bib numbers, while three people hired imposters to pose as them at the finish line.
A Shenzhen Traffic Police surveillance camera captured several runners taking a shortcut by crossing a wooded median to switch directions on a road.
"We deeply regret the violations that occurred during the event. Marathon running is not simply exercise, it is a metaphor for life, and every runner is responsible for him or herself," organizers said in an announcement quoted by Xinhua, China's state-run news agency.
The organizers said the bib number counterfeiters and those who hired imposters would be banned for life, while the shortcut takers and other cheaters would be banned for two years.
