Marathon bans running group

Some members took shortcut Organizer cites ‘unethical conduct’

The popular Toronto women’s running group JeansMarines has been banned from taking part in the 2006 Marine Corps Marathon in Washington. The decision to bar the group was made by race director Rick Nealis, who used both witnesses and high- tech sleuthing to determine that several members of the group — under the direction of founder Dr. Jean Marmoreo — cut about 6.4 kilometres from the 42- kilometre course. “The founder and coach of JeansMarines assisted runners to circumvent a portion of the course thereby not completing the requisite 26.2- mile course,” Nealis wrote on the runnersworld. com site.

“ This organization will be banned from being a partner in 2006 for their lack of professionalism and unethical conduct.” The alarm was first raised by Ottawa marathoner Fiona McMillin, who was in Washington watching the event when she spotted Marmoreo guide some members off the beaten path. Marmoreo was trying to ensure her slowest runners would be able to reach a critical bridge before it was reopened to traffic. Those runners not only made it to the end, they accepted the coveted “ finisher’s medal” given by the Marine Corps to all who complete the course. ( Most of those medals, apparently including Marmoreo’s own, have reportedly been returned.)

In a statement, JeansMarines said they were disappointed by the decision “but understand why it was made.” The group said it will continue planning its 2006 program and look for other autumn marathons in Canada and the U. S. for its members.

JeansMarines weren’t the only ones to use the shortcut.

After reviewing data from the ChampionChip system — a small computer transponder system that’s the running world’s electronic equivalent of Highway 407 — Nealis was able to determine that about 325 participants cheated on the course. An investigation into allegations of widespread cheating by a leukemia and lymphoma charity group is still underway.