China bans marathon runner for stopping to take pictures

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A runner who stopped during a marathon in China to pose doing the splits and another who hoarded energy gels have been banned for two years, the local athletic association said Thursday.

The incidents happened during Sunday’s marathon in the southwestern city of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, and were widely shared online.

Videos showed a woman runner stopping suddenly and dropping to the ground with her legs in a perfect split position, holding up her arms in a heart shape as she apparently posed for a photograph.

“(She) committed obstructive fouls during the race, affecting the safe participation of other runners,” the Sichuan Athletics Association said in a statement, which identified the runner by her surname, Wang.

A viral photo also showed a man in a neon yellow top carrying a transparent drawstring backpack packed to the brim with packets of energy gels and other food supplies, all apparently taken from supply stations during the race.

The male runner, surnamed Zhang, had “illegally taken a large quantity of race supplies for personal use”, the association said.

Both have been banned from marathons in Sichuan for two years, it said. Punch