The organisers of a marathon in southern Taiwan issued an apology on Sunday after winners were mistakenly awarded Type 95 automatic rifles-firearms used by China’s People’s Liberation Army- as prizes, per Taipei Times.
The Fongshan Marathon, organized by Hsu’s office, took place in Kaohsiung’s Fongshan District, with routes passing through three normally restricted military schools: the Military Academy, the Fongshan Army Infantry School, and the Chung Cheng Armed Forces Preparatory School.
He also extended his apology to the involved departments and the public, vowing to exercise greater caution in the future.
“Due to the co-organizer’s oversight, the trophies were mistakenly modelled after rifles not used by Taiwan’s armed forces,” he said, adding that steps have been taken to retrieve and replace them as soon as possible.
The Kaohsiung Fengshan Marathon, organized by a local legislator and guided by the Ministry of Defense, accidentally had a gold PLA rifle (QBZ-95) as a trophy
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The event’s co-organizer, the Kaohsiung City Fongshan Jogging Association, clarified that the rifle-shaped design was chosen purely for its aesthetics and relevance to the military, dismissing any suggestion that it was linked to “united front” efforts.
“We had no ulterior motives,” the association stated, urging the public to avoid false accusations that could undermine the effort put into organizing the event.
The manufacturer has been instructed to produce new trophies, and event staff will reach out to winners once the replacements are ready.
Meanwhile, the army, which provided venues for the marathon, stated that it would remind organizers to be more mindful in the future to prevent similar incidents.