BEIJING — The top three finishers of the Beijing half marathon have been stripped of their medals following an investigation into the controversial result.

It was alleged that the three African athletes deliberately allowed China's star runner He Jie to win Sunday's race

Footage appeared, external to show Kenya's Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat and Ethiopia's Dejene Hailu pointing to the line and slowing down to wave He past.

Mnangat told the BBC that the trio ran as pacemakers.

But the race's organising committee, who led the investigation, said that none of the three had been officially registered as pacemakers for He, so their actions breached the competition rules.

The committee said "all trophies, medals and bonuses will be recovered".

China's state broadcaster CCTV also reported that all four had been "punished" and their results had been cancelled.

After the race, the Chinese Athletics Association said it would seek to improve the organisation of road running events in the country.

"In general, the overall operation of road running events has been smooth," it said in a statement.

"But problems in the organisation and management of the events have also been exposed, which has aroused widespread concern."

China's He won marathon gold at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou and is his country's record holder for the full marathon. — BBC