China Suspends High-Risk Sports Events After Deadly Gansu Race

What’s new: China suspended high-risk outdoor sports events after 21 runners died in a 100 kilometer (62 mile) high-altitude foot race in northwestern China’s Gansu province last month.

Events including cross-country races in mountains and the Gobi Desert, wingsuit flying and ultramarathons that lack clear management responsibility, competition rules and security standards will be suspended all over the country, the General Administration of Sport said Wednesday.

The national sports governing body said it will conduct a comprehensive inspection of these events, improve standards and rules and enhance security levels.

The background: The lack of safety standards in China’s cross-country running world is under scrutiny in the aftermath of the May 22 race in Gansu that turned deadly when freezing weather, including hail, rain and gales, suddenly struck.

Most of those who perished died of hypothermia, a dangerous drop in body temperature usually caused by prolonged exposure to cold temperatures. The organizers were blamed for not preparing the runners for extreme weather.

Gansu Shengjing Sports and Culture Development Co. Ltd., a small, 6-year-old business with an executive team of temporary hires, was found to have won the job of conducting the race in a potentially problematic procurement process.

Quick Takes are condensed versions of China-related stories for fast news you can use. To read the full story in Chinese, click here.

Contact reporter Denise Jia (huijuanjia@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (bobsimison@caixin.com)

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