HYROX co-founder apologizes after incident at Beijing competition
HYROX co-founder Moritz Fürste apologized after Australian athlete Joanna Wetrzyk was allowed to continue competing in Beijing, China, despite an episode of sudden fecal incontinence during the course. Wetrzyk ultimately won the competition, which took place last weekend.
ABC News reported on the incident. Videos of the athlete showing the consequences of the medical episode were widely shared on Chinese social media. This prompted criticism of HYROX’s safety and health standards, although some users also raised questions about the athlete’s own responsibility.
Organizers’ response
Fürste said HYROX made a mistake by not responding to the situation immediately. According to him, the organizers are developing new procedures and rules to prevent similar incidents in the future.
HYROX World also said that protocols for elite athletes and mass participants became mixed at the Beijing competition. According to the organization, this created ambiguity in the application and understanding of the rules.
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Updated rules
HYROX rules now provide that the race director may remove a participant from the course for medical reasons if blood, vomit, urine or feces pose a risk to the athlete or other participants, or create a contamination hazard.
Before the rule change, HYROX participants were penalized for littering on the course, spitting or clearing their noses during the race. Online, such standards were called a double standard. HYROX China said that after the competition ended, the venue was cleaned, the relevant equipment was removed, and the arena’s floor covering will be replaced to protect future participants.
HYROX competitions take place indoors under a unified format: participants combine running with exercises at stations, including sandbag lunges, burpees, sled pushing and rowing on shared equipment.
