Two runners found to have fraudulently competed on behalf of female teammates in a major marathon in South Africa have been disqualified and could face a two-year ban from the event, along with the two women.
The two runners exchanged their bibs with the two men, who both finished in the top 10 in the women’s half marathon at the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town last Sunday, initially denying those slots to two runners.
But the cheating was discovered by a marathon board member, and the men from seventh and tenth places were disqualified. Two women were later identified instead.
Marathon board member Stuart Mann said Larissa Parekh was accused of having Luke Jacobs run on her behalf, and Tegan Garvey was accused of having Nick Bradfield run on her behalf.
Mann said the four competitors face disciplinary measures that could include a two-year ban from participating in the event.
The annual Two Oceans Race is one of South Africa’s popular marathons and includes a 34.7-mile ultramarathon and a 13.1-mile half marathon.
The event attracts over 16,000 participants, and finishing in the top ten is a major accomplishment for most competitors.
Race board member calls bib swapping unethical
As bib-sharing is becoming more common, it can be risky, Mann said. “Not only is this unethical, but it also poses health and medical risks in an emergency situation, as the wrong medication may be given to the wrong person.”
Mann explained that there are different motives that play a role in this matter.
Some runners give their bib to stand in case they suffer a last-minute injury or other unforeseen reason they can’t run the race they registered for.
Others do it to earn deceptively faster times than they could otherwise achieve, to qualify for future races, he said.
Pictures on the Internet led to this discovery
Mann was informed of one of the swaps after Jacobs posted photos of himself at the race on social media and people noticed his bib had the name “Larissa” on it.
“I made an error in judgment and did not think about the consequences. I should not have participated,” Jacobs said in a written apology.
Parekh offered no clear explanation for how Jacobs ended up with her apron, Mann said. But Garvey admitted she had given it to Bradfield, and said in a written statement that she had suffered a hip problem before the race.
“The other day, my hip completely collapsed, leaving me unable to even walk,” Garvey said. “I felt bad because I had to skip the race, so my friend ran in my place.”
Both women apologized, Mann said.