Clearing the air

Clearing the air | Daily Tribune

The great Carl Bernstein once said: “Journalism is the art of coming up with the questions that someone doesn’t want you to ask.”

In last week’s column entitled “Celebrities and Cheating at the NYCM?,” I got pilloried for a question I dared ask.

I had already dealt with the topic of cheating in races previously (see “When Rules are Rules,” published on 8 June 2024), being something that is of serious concern to me as a member of the running community. When right after the 9 November New York City Marathon (NYCM), allegations of cheating by a certain couple quickly began circulating on Reddit and various runners group chats, I decided to look into the matter.

The first thing I accessed was the NYCM app, which records the splits of all the runners. Based on the splits of the runners I tracked, there were mile markers almost every three miles. This means that runners pass through timing mats almost every three miles to ensure that they stay in the race course — and not ride the train or employ some other means to get to the finish line.

Persons who do these are called “ninjas” by runners because they don’t actually run the entire route but somehow show up at the finish line. Unfortunately, it happens every now and then during races.

When I accessed the couple’s publicly available NYCM record, I saw that they had identically missing splits representing three-mile markers. According to New York Road Runners (NYRR) rules, having missing splits is a ground to disqualify a runner.

A check of the NYRR website yielded similarly baffling information. The couple were the 55,265th and 55,266th finishers. I randomly checked on at least five runners who had longer finish times than the couple and these runners had complete splits.

The timing mats ordinarily stay in place during the duration of the race. Since the NYCM cut-off time was 10 p.m. and the couple finished before 8 p.m., there was no reason for me to suppose that the timing mats had been removed by the time the couple were alleged to have crossed those mile markers.

Thus in my column, I noted it was “curious” that the couple had missing mile markers. I further said that “if allegations are proven true,” this may be a case of cheating.

I then emphasized that, ordinarily, an investigation would be conducted by the race organizer.

Finally, in my last sentence I said: This column will be open to any response from Mr. Verzosa and Ms. Ramos.

Verily, I did not state as a matter of fact that the couple had cheated but only raised the possibility based on publicly available information.

In the aftermath, people sent me records of other runners which show similar missing splits. I was also sent a video showing snippets of the couples’ run where at one point they passed the 20 mile marker — one of the missing splits.

Finally, I was repeatedly sent copies of a supposed email sent by NYRR to Ms. Rhian Ramos stating: “It looks like both you and Samuel fell behind the sweep and the timing points at 30km, 20 miles and 35km were removed from the course as the streets reopened before you passed through. In Central Park, we can stay open longer, so you were picked up at 40km… We certainly are not holding those timing points against you; you are still both listed as official finishers.” It was signed by a certain Tom.

In an Instagram post that Ms. Ramos has since deleted, she said that: “I emailed New York Road Runners to ask why three of our splits are missing… Here’s their response (referencing a screenshot of the supposed email). (Yup! Fact checking is that easy!)

Unfortunately, I have sent three emails to NYRR but I have only received two automated responses complete with reference no. (!00D150EWYO.!) and the NYRR logo, the last one stating: “This is an automated email to notify you that we’ve received your inquiry. A member of our team will respond as soon as possible. Please note that our regular business hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday. Thanks and happy running.” The email was signed by the NYRR Race Scoring Team.

I have likewise tried to reach the NYRR through the phone number indicated on its website but the response was similarly automated.

While neither of the couple has sent any response to this column or this newspaper, both have responded on social media and Mr. Verzosa held a press conference on Thursday, the full clip of which I posted in my social media account.

Friends of the couple have also posted and one even reached out via messenger attesting that they finished the marathon fair and square.

I have no personal interest in discrediting either of the couple and sincerely hope this clears the air. As our Supreme Court has time and again said in relation to public figures who have been subjected to the harshest of criticisms, nothing assuages better than the balm of a clear conscience.