13/08/2026
Subject: Appeal and Detailed Clarification Regarding Shadowing Disqualification
We are writing this to formally appeal the disqualification (DQ) penalty resulting from the recent ultramarathon event in the region.
First and foremost, We accept the committeeโs decision regarding the rules infraction. We are fully prepared and willing to return the 2nd Place podium award/s. Out of absolute respect to the organizers and the integrity of the sport, we do not wish to hold a placement that is under technical dispute.
However, we respectfully request that the committee records our runner's official explanation regarding the "shadowing" violation. We ask for a re-evaluation of the absolute disqualification status to a time penalty based on the critical safety context of that specific moment:
*An Isolated Misjudgment, Not Continuous Shadowing: We want to explicitly clarify that our runner's support crew did not engage in continuous vehicular shadowing, mechanical pacing, or wind-blocking across the 75km course. The video evidence captures a single, isolated, split-second hydration handoff. It was a reactive operational error on a dark highway, not a planned tactical strategy to gain an unfair athletic advantage.
*The Reality of a Midnight Start and Pitch-Black Highway: Because the race commenced at night, the highway route was completely unlit and pitch black. Navigating an active public road in total darkness places long-distance runners in an extremely vulnerable position regarding oncoming traffic.
*Active Hazard Avoidance: The specific handoff captured on camera occurred along a narrow, dark route. Our crew made a flawed, safety-driven judgment call based entirely on these high-risk conditions. The moving motorbike handoff was executed strictly to minimize pedestrian exposure and clear that hazardous blind spot as quickly as possible.
*Zero Performance Enhancement: This brief exchange provided no wind-drafting, pacing assistance, or mechanical towing. It was a crisis-management error driven by immediate safety and survival needs in a high-risk environment, not an athletic tactic to alter our runner's running time.
Completing this grueling 75km journey demands months of intense training and physical sacrifice. While we completely agree that strict rules must be enforced to protect highway safety and athletic fairness, a total disqualification is disproportionately severe for a single, safety-first support error on a dark, open road.
We humbly request that the committee considers mitigating the penalty from a complete disqualification to an official time penalty added to our runner's final record, allowing her to officially finish the race even with her podium placement surrendered.
Thank you very much for your time, fairness, and open-minded consideration of this comprehensive explanation.
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