A Chinese team has been disqualified from the World Military Games being held in their country after they were found cheating during the competition.
The team was participating in the middle distance orienteering event in the 2019 Military World Games currently being held in the city of Wuhan in the Hubei province in central China on Sunday 20th October.
The Chinese team raised suspicion of cheating after obtaining exceptionally good results.
They placed three women in the first, second and fourth positions and one man in the second position in the Middle Distance category.
The teams from Austria, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Poland and Russia all protested as the results far exceeded their nearest competitor which is uncommon in the sport.
After an investigation was carried out it was found the Chinese team was cheating in the event by making illegal use of spectators on the curse along with trails and indications laid out in the routes which gave the Chinese team an unfair advantage which resulted in their great performances.
All the athletes from the Chinese team were disqualified from the event and banned from participating in the Long Distance orienteering event which was held yesterday (Wednesday).
Local media report China appealed the decision but the sanction was upheld as the competition works with the International Orienteering Federation, the international governing body of the sport, to determine if further action is required.
Orienteering is a sport that requires navigational skills and the use of navigational tools like maps and compasses while moving at speed in unfamiliar areas as athletes look for different control points.
The World Military games will end on Sunday 27th October.
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Story By: Juan Mayes , Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
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