Chinese orienteering team disqualified for cheating

WUHAN, CHINA — China's orienteering team was disqualified by the International Orienteering Federation after they were caught cheating during the 2019 Military World Games in Wuhan, China.

According to a statement from the IOF, the Chinese team received help from spectators watching them compete. The Chinese team were also caught relying on markings and small paths that had been prepared for the Chinese runners in advance.

All that cheating allowed the Chinese runners to finish first, second and fourth place in the women's event. Despite all the extra help, only one Chinese "athlete" cracked the top three in the men's event, finishing second.

The national teams of Austria, Belgium, France, Poland, Switzerland and Russia handed in a common protest against China's behavior in the event.

The IOF looked into it and found that the Chinese team had cheated extensively and decided to disqualify the entire Chinese team from participating in the Military World Games.