Two men have been disqualified from one of South Africa's premier marathon races after finishing in the top 10 of the women's race, CNN reports.
The two changed the competition numbers on their T-shirts, so that two runners could no longer be among the top 10 places at the Two Oceans Marathon, held on April 12 in Cape Town.
The annual Two Oceans race is one of South Africa's flagship races and features both a 56km ultramarathon and a 21.1km half marathon. The event attracts over 16,000 participants and a top 10 finish is an important achievement for any runner.
The two men, Luke Jacobs and Nic Bradfield, finished 7th and 10th. They were later disqualified after a member of the race management discovered the cheating. The women who had been wronged were later given the actual rankings.
Jacobs and Bradfield will be subject to disciplinary proceedings, said Stuart Mann, a member of the marathon board and one of those who discovered the fraud.
Exchanging numbers between participants has become more common, but it comes with serious consequences, Mann said.
“It is not only an unethical practice, but also involves medical risks. In an emergency, the wrong treatment can be given to the wrong person,” he explained.
The reasons why some people resort to this differ. Some don't want to lose their entry fee if they can't run anymore, others want to get a better time to help them qualify for other competitions.
What did he miss?
The scam came to light after Jacobs posted photos from the race on social media and people noticed the name “Larissa” appeared on his number.
The investigation revealed that he competed using the number assigned to Larissa Parekh, entered in the women's race.
“I made a mistake in judgment and didn't think about the consequences. I shouldn't have participated,” Jacobs said in a statement apologizing.
The two were also caught thanks to modern technology: officials tracked the first 10 women who crossed the finish line, but the electronic chips in the numbers indicated that two other participants would have finished the race without being seen.
This discrepancy led to the discovery that Bradfield had competed with the number of another runner, Tegan Garvey, who later admitted giving it to her after suffering a hip problem before the race.
“The day before, my hip completely gave out and I couldn't even walk. I was sorry to miss out, so a friend ran in my place,” explained Garvey.
Larissa Parekh did not offer a clear explanation for his gesture. Both women have apologized and face two-year bans from the Two Oceans Marathon.
Photo source: Dreamstime.com
