A TOP official from the Chinese county that hosted a fatal ultramarathon last month has been found dead, authorities said today, as 27 people face punishment over the incident.

In May, extreme weather at an ultramarathon in north-western Gansu province killed 21 runners when freezing rain, high winds and hail hit competitors.

The deadly incident sparked calls for more regulation and raised questions over why organisers had apparently ignored the incoming weather.

Today, provincial authorities told a press conference that the Communist Party secretary of Jingtai county – which hosted the event – had been found dead.

Li Zuobi was confirmed to have died after falling from the building where he lived. Police received the incident report on Wednesday, and have since ruled out homicide.

27 people, including municipal government officials, face criminal charges or disciplinary actions over the deadly ultramarathon.

Among those punished include the party secretary and mayor of Baiyin city – which holds jurisdiction over Jingtai – as well as the magistrate of the county, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Last month’s incident also led to a suspension of sports competitions that lacked national safety standards, including events such as mountain trail running and ultra-long-distance running. – AFP, June 11, 2021.