HYROX changes rules after faecal incident in controversial Beijing race

HYROX has introduced a new rule after a controversial incident at its Beijing event, giving Race Directors the authority to withdraw a racer when bodily fluids pose a welfare or contamination risk.

The change follows an incident involving Australian HYROX athlete Joanna Wietrzyk during the Beijing race on 12 September 2026.

What happened during the race?

Wietrzyk experienced faecal incontinence during the competition but continued racing and was allowed to finish.

The incident prompted criticism online, with concerns raised about hygiene and the effect the situation had on other competitors.

The affected area was subsequently isolated and cleaned, with the incident reportedly becoming a wider discussion around how HYROX handled the situation.

HYROX had previously said that it had biocontamination and medical procedures in place. The organisation said the Beijing incident was an unforeseen situation in which protocols designed for elite competition and mass participation became blurred, creating uncertainty about how they should be applied and understood.

HYROX changes its rules

The organisation has now added a specific rule addressing situations involving bodily fluids.

The rule states that if a racer’s blood, vomit, urine or faeces poses a welfare or contamination risk to the racer or to other racers, a Race Director may withdraw the racer from the race on medical grounds. The official HYROX rulebook confirms the provision.

A racer withdrawn under this provision is recorded as a Did Not Finish (DNF).

The change provides Race Directors with a clearly stated option to intervene when such a situation occurs during a race.

Fürste apologises

HYROX co-founder Moritz Fürste has apologised for the way the organisation handled the incident.

In a statement shared on Instagram, Fürste said HYROX made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race.

 He also accepted responsibility for not anticipating the possibility of such an incident.

Fürste said HYROX had started improving its event processes and making changes to its rulebook immediately.

He added that new rules and procedures were already in place to prevent similar situations from happening again.

 A response to the controversy

The rule change comes after criticism of how the Beijing incident was handled.

HYROX had previously acknowledged that concerns about hygiene were legitimate, while also saying that people making threats to harm the athlete involved would be banned.

Fürste’s subsequent apology acknowledged that the organisation should have responded differently during the race.

With the new provision now included in the rulebook, Race Directors have specific authority to withdraw a racer when blood, vomit, urine or faeces presents a welfare or contamination risk.

The change follows HYROX’s acknowledgement that the situation was not handled as it should have been and its decision to revise its procedures.

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