Supposition apparently wrote:
According to the article:
"race organizers said they learned that Akor has a history of doping and a checkered past when it comes to prize money and race officials, and they subsequently disqualified her. "
They apparently disqualified her for having a "checkered past," not for anything that happened in the race.
You should have read on a couple more lines in to the article:
But Lieberg, a 39-year old mother of three and a second grade teacher from Helena, Montana, knew none of that as she battled it out stride for stride with Akor through much of the race. She said she soon noticed a decidedly combative style in Akor’s running.
“I think her plan was just to keep me back. Every time I tried to pass her, she would block me,” said Lieberg, who went on to win despite Akor’s tactics. “I didn’t really know what was going on.”
Running a 6:05 per mile pace, Lieberg passed through the 5K mark in 18:59 and the 10K in 37:27. At that point, San Antonio school teacher Anita Perez was about a minute behind.
Up front, Lieberg continued to press the pace, passing through 15K in 56:35 and the halfway mark at 13.1 miles in 1:20:24. But despite her best efforts, Akor continued to block her.
“I’d try to go around her, and she’d get in front of me, and then I’d go the other way and she’d get in front of me again,” Lieberg said. Finally, at about 20 miles, Lieberg decided to go for it. She passed Akor but couldn’t help bumping her a little bit, because of Akor’s blocking position, she said.
“That’s when she shoved me,” Lieberg said. “A full two-handed push. I was like, ‘OMG, I’m just trying to get past. ... I don’t like drama.’”