Controversy at Cleveland Marathon: Winner was wearing a tshirt over his bib most of the race. Agent of 2nd place wants a DQ

Watch the coverage that Channel 19 in Cleveland provided. It is fantastic coverage.

He takes the lead when dozens of half marathon runners are around the leader.

The real winner is ambushed - he is looking back to determine if anyone is challenging him and no

orange bibs are visible so he looks very relaxed,

Even after the unidentified runner has opened a sizable lead the real leader continues t look back.

If you were not intentionally hiding your bib - Why do you wait until you ate hundreds of meters from the

finish to reveal it.

Worst part of it is he starts waving it around like he pulled off a great crime and thinks he got away with it.

I do not care if he set a world record - he violated the rules and should be DQ'd

Hope Rite-Aid is proud of the event they sponsored - no mention I could find of drug testing either (I would think Rite-Aid could donate some drug kits)

Time to shut down all prize money the sport has become too corrupt and rules are not enforced by event RD's in mosr local races.

Worst part of it is he starts waving it around like he pulled off a great crime and thinks he got away with it.

Just like a trick play in USA football.

No Question - DQ wrote:

Time to shut down all prize money the sport has become too corrupt and rules are not enforced by event RD's in mosr local races.

you guys are so stupid, it's not even funny. but you will succeed in your goal, if that is your goal, that price money will disappear from all but a few elite races.

Why wasn't the second place guy listening on his headphones to his agent, who could hear from the announcer that some dude w/o a bib had passed him?

That's how it's done in NASCAR.

Watch the coverage on the Cleveland station - the reaction of the leader is clear he was ambushed.

It is documented the bib was covered and the coverage people on the course could not identify the color

or number of the bib since it was not at all visible on camera.

You can watch him take off his shirt and twirl it around proudly like he created a new way to gain unfair advantage.

Should also ban any runner that uses this ploy from future prize pools.

This is such a clear violation of USATF rules that either the runner needs to be DQ'd immediately or the USATF

needs to get involved and make Cleveland a non-USATF event, in my opinion.

No Question - DQ wrote:

Even after the unidentified runner has opened a sizable lead the real leader continues to look back.

He most likely figured that 1st place was no longer a possibility and was looking back to see if he could hang on for 2nd place.

Can someone clarify how the 2nd place guy was confused about which race Mesfun was in? The OP states that the pass was made in the final miles of the race. If someone passes you at 5-minute pace in the last miles of the race, how could they possibly be running the half? Maybe I'm missing something?

Agent issue wrote:

2. Can not take any aid from someone on the sidelines. No GU or Fluids that isn't at an official table.

Woman who finished top-20 at Colfax Denver had a group of about 6 friends?/family members? riding bikes beside her for at least the last 7 or 8 miles along Colfax Avenue and handing her water bottles. At one point she dropped the bottle and a guy on a bike ride onto the course to retrieve it. She didn't win any money so it probably doesn't matter but it was still illegal.

This guy is an experienced marathoner - he should know the rules and that he violated one.

Go to court and tell the judge you did not know the law and then tell your cell mate how unfair it is.

With bib covered up it is hard to track a runner via in-race photos so one could design a relay team of miles

and 2 hour marathon without breaking a sweat. Could pass all check points in record time.

BIB must be visible at all times all race officials should know this and not need to do a multi-day investigation.

Ignorance is no excuse - decision should have been immediate.

The only possible things he could have thought were that Mr. Mesfun was a marathon runner or that he was a bandit runner who jumped into the marathon race in the last couple of miles.

That is a fair question. Here is how.

Often some idiot that want to be on camera will jump in from the sidewalk and sprint out in front of the leader just to get on camera.

As the leader you look to see if they are wearing a number. If not then you know they are not entered.

how the hell did he get that far into the race without displaying his number? were there no officials at this thing?

it looks like a DQ to me but i dont what the rules say.

Race officials had the responsibility to pull him off of course - but then they only had two hours to

find him. See if you can see him in the elite corral with bib covered.

That is why a real elite only do major marathons where more regulation is enforced.

But what would you expect from Cleveland?

Officials at Fault wrote:

But what would you expect from Cleveland?

Cleveland has a problem here.

Maybe this helps wrote:

That is a fair question. Here is how.

Often some idiot that want to be on camera will jump in from the sidewalk and sprint out in front of the leader just to get on camera.

As the leader you look to see if they are wearing a number. If not then you know they are not entered.

I suppose, but that doesn't really explain it, since the article says the other runners thought he was in the half marathon.

Officials make calls. Officials should never put their hands on anyone. DQ is their only power.

If it presents a physical danger to the runners then the police step in. Otherwise just a DQ

This is what is absurb.

One report is calling it a minor rule violation - deciding if major enough to DQ.

Just throw out the USATF rule book.

Everyone should cheat it is the only way to go.

Time for some sub-elite men to soak up all the prize money in women races - it will might be considered a minor

rule violation.

A violation is a violation - just have the guts to enforce it.

Officials at Fault wrote:

Race officials had the responsibility to pull him off of course - but then they only had two hours to

find him.

Yep +1. Wide latitude of prosecutorial discretion, and/or general malfeasance from admins. Didn't warn him, so friendly judge will throw out the case. Perfect synedoche for USA some last years.

Why didn’t he ask him as he ran by?