Beijing half marathon winner stripped of medal after video shows competitors allowing Chinese runner to win

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He Jie, China's top long-distance runner, was stripped of his first-place medal from the Mengniu Beijing Half Marathon on Friday after an investigation concluded that three other runners from Africa had purposely slowed down to let him pass. 

Organizers announced the decision after footage from the race went viral over the weekend. Video evidence from the final moments of the race showed He trailing behind Kenya's Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat and Ethiopia's Dejene Hailu. 

Mnangat told BBC Sport Africa that the group had not been not running competitively, but rather as pacemakers for He.  

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He Jie (1st L) of China competes during the Bejing Half Marathon 2024 in Beijing, China, April 14, 2024.  (Ju Huanzong/Xinhua via Getty Images)

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An investigation into the incident found that four runners had, in fact, been invited by a race sponsor to serve only as pacemakers, but the main organizers were unaware of this. The fourth had dropped out before completing the race. 

"We deeply and sincerely apologize to the world and to every part of society, that we did not discover and correct the mistakes in time at this race," the statement read. 

He Jie of Team China celebrates after winning the Athletics - Men's Marathon Final on day 12 of the 19th Asian Games at Smart New World Qiantang River Green Belt on October 5, 2023, in Hangzhou, in the Zhejiang Province of China.  (CHINASPORTS/VCG via Getty Images)

BEIJING HALF MARATHON UNDER INVESTIGATION AFTER VIDEO APPEARS TO SHOW COMPETITORS LET CHINESE RUNNER WIN

All four runners, including He, were disqualified and