LANZHOU, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Seven individuals involved in the organization of a May 2021 marathon that left 21 runners dead in northwest China's Gansu Province were handed prison sentences on Friday.
At a court in Baiyin City, five defendants involved in the marathon operations were sentenced to prison terms ranging from three years to five years and six months. They were convicted of organizing a large-scale event that led to a significant safety incident.
At a court in Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu, two officials responsible for the supervision and management of the event were also sentenced on Friday. One was fined and sentenced to four years and 10 months in prison for dereliction of duty and bribery, and the other was given a prison sentence of three years and six months for dereliction of duty.
The tragic incident occurred during a 100-kilometer cross-country mountain marathon on May 22, 2021, in Jingtai County, Baiyin City. Extreme weather conditions led to the deaths of 21 runners, with eight others sustaining injuries. ■
