Thanks for sharing the anecdote. I think you should ask yourself why are they crying. Is it because they are hurt or because they expect something to happen by doing it, like you declaring them winners? I'll bet they still playing the "game"...
In this case, they won't get anything out of crying, so I guess it is purely out of frustration.
A lot of times, the winner also enjoys rubbing it in, and making the others cry. Kids have all the survival emotions, and none of the social skills to hold back on them. But that's probably our job as a parent, to teach them the social skills.
Better they learn it now, that when that colleague got that manager job they thought they were entitled to.
