FFive organizers of an ultramarathon in China that left 21 dead have been sentenced to several years in prison, according to state media. The court in Baiyin, Gansu Province, where the 2021 event took place, imposed prison sentences of between three and five and a half years, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday (local time).
One of the defendants received a prison sentence of four years and ten months for “dereliction of duty and bribery”, while another was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for “dereliction of duty”.
Investigations against 27 suspects
On May 22, 2021, a storm with hail, freezing rain and squalls struck the 172 participants in the 100-kilometer ultramarathon in a mountainous region in Gansu. The organizers had apparently ignored a severe weather warning. 21 people died in the storm, including several top athletes. The police then initiated investigations against 27 suspects.
Long-distance running and other extreme sports have become increasingly popular in China in recent years as the communist government encourages exercise for all ages. However, problems arose again and again due to organizational deficits.
After the ultramarathon disaster, the General Sports Administration in Beijing announced that it would suspend events that did not meet national safety standards – including mountain running, wingsuit flights and ultra-long distance running.
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