Local party boss found dead and five organisers arrested after Chinese ultramarathon tragedy

The provincial authorities in northwest China have confirmed that a local party chief has died and five people have been arrested as the fallout over the deaths of 21 runners in an ultramarathon last month continued. The death by suicide of Li Zuobi, the Jingtai county party chief, was made public on Friday when Gansu provincial officials announced the results of an investigation into last month’s tragedy. They also said five members of the company which organised the Yellow River Stone Forest race will face criminal charges. Rumours about Li’s death have been circulating on China’s social media since Wednesday. However, local officials had remained tight-lipped over the circumstances, fuelling wild speculation online. Li Ming, a deputy director of the Gansu Public Security Department, said Li had been found dead after falling from his high-rise apartment building on Wednesday. China’s ultramarathon disaster: who were the 21 runners who died in a sudden storm on a mountainside? “There was no suspicious cause. It was a suicide,” Li said. On Friday, provincial officials named 27 public office holders – including Li – who they said shared responsibility for the disaster, which has been called the deadliest tragedy in Chinese sporting history. Zhang Wenling, the county mayor, has been fired, and Ding Keya and Luo Wentao, who headed the county propaganda department, have been referred to prosecutors for a corruption investigation, the officials announced. The officials said the boss of Gansu Shengjing Sports and Culture Development and four others from the company, which organised the event, have been arrested. The investigation blamed “high impact weather, substandard organisation and management and unprofessional operations” for the high death toll. The runners, many of whom were not carrying protective clothing, were hit by high winds and freezing temperatures on a mountainous section of the course, and many suffered hypothermia as a result. “The race organiser did not have a strong awareness of risk prevention. Before the race, the meteorological bureau sent a blue gale signal [the lowest level of China’s four-tier warning system] but no measures were taken. [The organiser] failed to make windproof thermal equipment mandatory in accordance with the requirements of high-altitude races,” the investigation found. Liu Changsong, director of the Beijing Mugong Law Firm, said those charged over the deaths could face up to seven years in jail if found to be directly responsible. “Judicial interpretations stipulate that the death of three or more people qualifies as ‘particularly severe’. This case, with 21 deaths, will fall into that category, those directly responsible would face three to seven years of imprisonment,” he said. Chinese ultramarathon deaths turn spotlight onto runners’ safety and leave some questioning their future in the sport A lawyer who has been helping the victims’ families said the indemnity papers some victims had signed before starting the race did not mean the organisers could escape criminal charges. The lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject, said that according to an “assumption of risk” article in the latest civil code, the organisers of an event could be held liable if they acted with intent or showed gross negligence even if participants had acknowledged the risks involved in an event. “Ultra-long cross-country races carry well-recognised risks. But the organiser has a safety obligation to the participants, including assessing the road conditions, whether there are sufficient supplies, and anticipating weather changes, etc,” the lawyer said. The investigation set out more details of how the tragedy unfolded. The report said the 172 runners had started the race at 9am and it began raining 90 minutes later. It also said temperatures had dropped by between 5 to 7 degrees Celsius in the space of five hours. After noon, organisers started receiving distress messages and reports of contestants withdrawing from the competition. Just over two hours later, after many runners dropped out, the race was suspended and rescuers were sent to the scene with warm clothing and blankets – but the organisers did not make an official announcement. The last victim’s body was not found until the following day, and the organiser confirmed that 21 runners had died and eight more had been injured. If you are having suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on +1 800 273 8255. For a list of other nations’ helplines, see this page