Chinese official dies during investigation into marathon deaths
BEIJING -- A Chinese county official appears to have killed himself during an investigation into the deaths of 21 runners last month during an ultramarathon, state television reported Friday.
CCTV said police were notified Wednesday that a man had jumped from his apartment and died. Upon investigation, he was found to be Jingtai County Communist Party Secretary Li Zuobi. Homicide has been ruled out, according to CCTV.
On Friday, the Gansu provincial government in western China handed down punishments to 27 officials, posthumously exempting Li but sacking his deputy, Zhang Wenling, CCTV reported. Two other lower-ranking officials were detained pending a further investigation, while the others were given administrative punishments, demotions, warnings and demerits.
Amid the harsh weather conditions, about 50 of the more than 170 competitors were given shelter in traditional cave dwellings maintained by shepherds. An all-night rescue mission brought most of them to safety, although several had to be hospitalized.
https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/31611334/chinese-official-dies-investigation-marathon-deaths
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