What’s new: Gansu provincial authorities have determined that 27 local officials bear responsibility for the deaths of 21 runners during an ultramarathon last month in the northwestern region.
The responsible officials, including those from the city government where the race took place, were given disciplinary punishment, though some will also face criminal charges, the incident’s investigation team said at a press conference Friday.
The investigators said that the incident occurred due to “substandard and unprofessional” management of the event.
According to the investigation team, the organizer of the event had failed to effectively respond to warning from the weather authority about a severe drop in temperature.
In addition, the checkpoints that offer supplies and medical aids for runners were not properly set up, the team said.
Li Zuobi, party secretary of the Jingtai county where the incident happened, would not be punished because he had died, the investigation team said.
Li reportedly committed suicide at home Wednesday morning, according to local media.
The background: Last month, 21 people died during a 100-kilometer foot race in the province’s Jingtai Yellow River Stone Forest scenic area near the city of Baiyin after freezing rain, gales and a sharp plunge in temperature suddenly struck.
Afterward, local authorities launched an investigation into the cause of the deaths and the company that organized the race.
Contact reporter Cai Xuejiao (xuejiaocai@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)
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