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http://china.globaltimes.cn/society/2010-10/585213.html
Police snatch two runners from Beijing Marathon - Source: Global Times
- [02:43 October 25 2010]
By Xu Tianran
Two runners were pulled out of the Beijing Marathon yesterday as they passed Tiananmen Square, then held for questioning by police for their advocacy of elimination of discrimination against Hepatitis B sufferers.
Released about an hour later, the duo caught a subway train and rejoined their teammates to finish the race.
The two runners were taken by police for unknown reasons, said Lei Chuang, founder of the Yixing Marathon Club that pleads for tolerance towards Hepatitis B sufferers through participation in marathons in cities throughout China.
There were about 30 runners in all wearing green vests with the slogan "Eliminating HBV (discrimination) is still on the way."
"Before the race started, police confiscated the vests of some participants by force and for no reason," Lei said.
After the police seized him, he was taken to Tiananmen police station, said a runner surnamed Xiao.
"I asked them why they were taking us there and they said because we ran with flags," Xiao said, adding the officers told him that they were doing it under orders from their superiors.
According to Xiao, police finally agreed to let them go on one condition: either their flags remained at the station or they supplied names and details of the club's members.
"I guess they did this to us out of security concerns," said a detained runner surnamed Zhang, who had been attempting to run his first marathon with the club. "It's understandable, and their attitude towards us was relatively nice."
A Tiananmen police station officer said he was unaware of the incident, as did both the organizer and media contact person for the marathon.
"I am very much impressed by the Beijing Marathon," Georges Laplanche of France, 50, was quoted as saying by the Xinhua News Agency.
"The organization was professional and considerate."
More than 30,000 runners crossed the starting line at 8 am in light rain at Tiananmen Square.
At 10:15 am, to the theme tune of the Pirates of the Caribbean and followed by Beethoven's Ode To Joy, Siraj Gena of Ethiopia, 26, also entered the near-empty Olympic Sports Center to cross the finishing line.
Three African athletes triumphed over icy rain and chill breezes to collect their medals and $5,000-$20,000 prize money.
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