Regarding the claim that the Tianjin Marathon prize money was “changed from $50,000 to 50,000 RMB,” the Tianjin Municipal Sports Bureau held a press conference yesterday and reiterated its statement: the competition regulations of the Tianjin Marathon have been publicly available online since their approval and have never been altered. The claim that the relay race prize money was “changed from $50,000 to 50,000 RMB” is unfounded, and the bureau reserves the right to pursue legal action against those who spread false information. The event organizing committee also issued a solemn statement.
The 2nd Tianjin International Marathon was held on the 25th. After the race, reports emerged that some award-winning participants in the marathon relay event believed the prize amounts did not match those announced beforehand, with the champion’s prize allegedly changing from $50,000 to 50,000 RMB, leading them to initially refuse to accept the prize money. In response, Wang Luhua, head of the Competition and Training Department of the Tianjin Municipal Sports Bureau, said at the press conference yesterday: “The competition regulations of the Tianjin Marathon were publicly posted on the official website of the Chinese Athletics Association after being approved on March 19. They have been visible to everyone and have never been changed. As for the claim that the relay prize money was changed from $50,000 to 50,000 RMB, that is completely untrue!”
Before concluding the press conference, the organizing committee presented tax payment certificates of the prize-winning participants, award collection forms, and documents signed by the competition’s chief judge. This also proves that after the event, there were no instances of foreign athletes refusing to accept their awards or staying on-site to demand explanations. Given the seriousness of the rumor incident, the Tianjin Municipal Sports Bureau and the event organizing committee will reserve the right to pursue legal action against those who spread false information.