(Photo/Xinhua)

XIAMEN, Sept. 21 -- A court in east China's Fujian Province Thursday overruled a compensation claim brought by the family of an unregistered runner who died after a marathon in Xiamen last year.

The family of the runner, surnamed Wu, claimed more than 1.23 million yuan (around 187,000 U.S. dollars) from the operator of the race, and a runner surnamed Li who had transferred his running bib to Wu.

The People's Court of Haicang District in Xiamen ruled that Wu, who had participated in a marathon before, should have known the risks and rules, but he still accepted somebody else's bib and joined the marathon.

The court said that no evidence showed the operator or Wu's violation of the rules had caused his death.

At Xiamen International Half Marathon held in last December, Wu fell down after crossing the finish line. He was given first aid by medical staff and was immediately sent to hospital but died despite treatment.

The local court had held two public trials in June and August.

Upon receiving the verdict, the plaintiff decided to appeal to a higher court.