It is the latest controversy to hit marathon or long-distance running in China, where the booming sport has been marred by numerous incidents of cheating.

Four people were punished for infractions at the marathon last Sunday, the most audacious of which was a woman who wore a bib belonging to a man and was spotted on a bike.

The woman, identified by the surname Zhao, “seriously disturbed the order of the race”, marathon organisers said in a statement.

She was handed a life ban from the Shanghai and other marathons, as was a male accomplice because he “participated in the whole process and did not stop it from happening”.

The Beijing News reported she used a bike.

The duo will face further punishment from China’s athletics association.

In March, a woman was similarly caught using a bicycle at the Xuzhou International Marathon.

At a half-marathon in Shenzhen in November last year, more than 250 runners cheated, including many who took shortcuts.