The organizers of the Mexico City Marathon are investigating reports of "unsportsmanlike conduct" at August's race following reports of cheating at the event.
The Sports Institute of Mexico City (INDEPORTE) said it is "proceeding to identify those cases where participants ... have demonstrated an unsportsmanlike attitude during the event and will invalidate their times" in a statement from August 30. The race itself took place on August 27.
Following reports from Spanish outlet Marca that as many as 11,000 runners had been disqualified for cheating, INDEPORTE published another statement on August 31 expressing "regrets that some media outlets and certain journalist accounts on social media are disseminating incorrect information about competitors with irregular times."
Authorities from INDEPORTE estimate that there are just over 2,000 runners who did not finish the international marathon on August 27 -- whether that number refers to those who deliberately cheated or injured runners seeking a participation medal is unclear.
Carlos Ochoa, communications coordinator for the organizers, told CNN that the numbers being widely reported in media are "fake news."
A source with knowledge of the case told CNN that the company reviewing the runners' information will give a final report this Thursday to determine the total number of runners who did not complete the 42-kilometer race.
The results of this review are expected to be released on Friday, where they will report the precise number of those runners who did not finish the competition.
The method of the alleged cheating is unclear at this stage. CNN reached out to governing body World Athletics for clarification on the investigations into potential cheating and possible consequences but did not immediately receive a response.
The Mexico City race has experienced cheating before, with organizers saying in 2018 that 3,090 competitors from the race that year were disqualified -- though they did not specify the reasons for disqualification.
The Mexico City Marathon is one of World Athletics' "Gold Label" races -- the second-highest level of prestige for such events, according to the governing body's regulations. That label refers to the existence of a world-class elite competition at the marathon.
