Switching Bibs: Railway Athlete Banned for Running Marathon on Behalf of Doctor’s Wife and Another Participant

Allegations of cheating have surfaced against a railway employee recruited under the sports quota, who is accused of impersonating two marathon participants, including the wife of a railway doctor, in the Apollo Tyres New Delhi Marathon held last month.

An instance of “bib switching” has resulted in the disqualification and two-year ban of three runners who took part in the Athletics Federation of India-approved event on 23rd February.

According to an official communication from NEB Sports, the event organisers, which has been accessed by The Indian Express, the act of running under another participant’s bib constitutes cheating. The statement clarified that “the race management team has taken strict action against them,” and that their decision would be made public via social media in an effort to deter similar misconduct in future events.

Speaking on the matter, Nagaraj Adiga, Chairman and Managing Director of NEB Sports and the race director, stated, “There were instances of cheating in the non-elite categories during the Apollo New Delhi Marathon. As a result, three athletes have been suspended. We will submit a report to the Athletics Federation of India on Monday, and it will be up to the Federation to decide any further course of action.”

Sources close to the matter revealed that discrepancies in the timing splits of the railway doctor’s wife, who participated in the full marathon, initially raised suspicion. While her pace was slow for nearly three-quarters of the race, there was a sudden and significant acceleration in the final stretch. Photographic evidence presented by the organisers showed the sports quota railway employee wearing her bib at the point in the race where the timing saw a drastic improvement.

In marathons, participant times are recorded using a chip, often a transponder or RFID tag, embedded in the bib worn by the runner. The scanner logs readings at the start and finish lines to verify the time taken to complete the race. This method helps ensure fair play and maintain race integrity.

When contacted, the railway employee declined to comment on the incident. Meanwhile, the doctor’s wife also refrained from making a statement, but her husband defended her involvement. “No action has been taken. I am part of the management. I can confirm that she lost consciousness after completing 34 km. The sports quota employee mistakenly ran with her bib. We have clarified the situation, and she has not been banned. We have also requested NEB Sports to remove her performance data from their website,” he said.

Supplementary Information:

Bib switching is considered a serious violation in competitive racing, as it affects fairness, alters official results, and compromises race security. Similar cases have been reported worldwide, leading to bans and even legal consequences for participants found guilty of impersonation. The incident at the Apollo Tyres New Delhi Marathon underscores the importance of strict enforcement measures to maintain the credibility of athletics competitions in India.