Chinese team disqualified for ‘extensive cheating’ at Military World Games

A Chinese orienting team, which was also hosting the event for the first time, was disqualified in its own Military World Games after other countries forewarned judges for ‘extensive cheating’, CNN reported on Wednesday.

In the first instance, Chinese athletes on Sunday had taken the first, second and fourth places in the women's middle-distance orienteering competition, as well as second place in the men's, during the race.

However, it was soon that judges discovered about the illegal assistance given to participants from spectators through used markings and small paths prepared in the terrain that were only transcribed by their team members.

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Acting on a tip-off from six European countries, including Russia and France, judges banned the participating team from taking part in the long-distance orienteering competition, tbe International Orienteering Federation (IOF) said.

"The IOF takes the actions of the Chinese team very seriously," IOF Secretary General Tom Hollowell said in a statement, adding that the organisation was “investigating if any further actions need to be taken to guarantee the fairness of competition at the upcoming World Cup final in Guangzhou, China from October 25."

Like the Olympics, the event of Military World Games is held in every four years and brings together military athletes from around the world.

Athletes from 109 nations, including the United States, are competing in this year's games in Wuhan, China.

China was substantially leading on the medal tally, with twice as many gold medals as nearest competitor Russia.

The story originally appeared on CNN