Two men have been disqualified from one of South Africa’s flagship marathon races after they finished in the top 10 of the women’s race.

Their attempt at swapping bibs, which bear the identification numbers worn by racers, resulted in two women runners initially finishing outside the top 10 in the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town on April 12.

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The annual Two Oceans race is one of South Africa’s iconic marathons and includes a 56km (34.7-mile) ultramarathon and a 21.1km (13.1-mile) half-marathon. The event attracts more than 16,000 participants, and finishing among the top 10 is a significant achievement for most runners.

The two men, Luke Jacobs and Nic Bradfield, finished seventh and 10th. They were disqualified after a marathon board member uncovered the deception. The women runners who had been bumped were subsequently recognised for their legitimate finishes.

Jacobs and Bradfield will face disciplinary processes by the marathon’s disciplinary subcommittee, said Two Oceans Marathon board member Stuart Mann, who helped uncover the cheating, which overshadowed the performance of honest runners.

Swapping bibs is unethical and risky

Exchanging bibs with another marathoner has become more common while also carrying far-reaching consequences, Mann said.

“Not only is it considered unethical, but it also poses health and medical risks in case of an emergency, as wrong medication may be administered to a wrong person,” Mann said.

Swapping numbers can result from different motivations, Mann explained. For some, it is done to avoid losing money if they are injured or for some other unexpected reason, cannot run the race. For others, the deceptive practice allows them to obtain a faster time to use for qualifying in a future race.

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Online photos lead to discoveries and apologies

Mann was tipped off to one of the swaps after Jacobs posted pictures of himself at the race on social media and people noticed his bib displayed the name “Larissa”.

After further investigation, Mann learned Jacobs competed using a bib assigned to Larissa Parekh, who was registered to compete in the women’s race.

“I made an error in judgment and did not consider the consequences. I should not have taken part,” Jacobs said in a written apology.

Jacobs and Bradfield were also tripped up by modern sports technology. Race officials watched the first 10 women cross the finish line, but data from chips in the bibs indicated two other women had also crossed, although they were not observed by the officials.

The discrepancy led to the revelation that Bradfield competed with a number belonging to Tegan Garvey, who later admitted to giving up her bib after she suffered a hip problem prior to the race.

“The day before, my hip gave in completely, leaving me unable to even walk. I felt bad as to give up my race entry so my friend ran in my place,” Garvey said.

Parekh did not give a clear explanation for her actions, according to Mann, who said both women have apologised and face two-year bans from the Two Oceans Marathon.