A HYROX Beijing competitor says she was hit with a two-minute penalty for splashing water on herself during the race on Saturday, 12 September–while other athletes later claimed they were made to run on the same course where Joanna Wietrzyk suffered a bowel accident.
The reported penalty has added fresh scrutiny to how the controversial incident was handled, after Wietrzyk continued competing despite suffering faecal incontinence during the women's Pro race and ultimately won in 1:01:23.
HYROX rules prohibit competitors from using water for active cooling because it can create a slip hazard for other athletes. Littering, spitting or blowing one's nose onto the floor can also result in a two-minute penalty.
An Australian competitor at HYROX Beijing suffered sudden fecal incontinence mid-race due to intense physical stress — but still pushed through and finished strong.
— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) September 13, 2026
Race organizers confirmed they immediately isolated and disinfected the affected area, disposing of equipment and… pic.twitter.com/xWSKl6m3A3
Competitors Question What Happened on the Course
One participant who competed the following day told the South China Morning Post: 'Think about how disgusting it is, especially when we use the exact same track.'
Other competitors have since shared their own accounts on social media, describing what they claim happened on the course.
Another participant who posted a video about the race said he was only two people behind Wietrzyk and noticed the contamination in his lane before many others did.
'Yes, I got poop on me,' he captioned in his post. 'I worked too hard. I was not gonna give up,' he added in the video.
The competitor also claimed the incident had 'ruined it for all of us' and said two female competitors were disqualified after gagging.
The circumstances surrounding those reported disqualifications have not been independently verified.
Competitors Allegedly Not Given a Choice to Use Another Lane
Another post in the same social media thread described an alleged incident involving a mixed-doubles team that entered the course about an hour after Wietrzyk's race.
According to the post, the woman said the team was not told about the earlier contamination and later discovered they had been assigned the same lane where Wietrzyk had competed.
The post claimed the lane had been 'spot-cleaned' before being reopened, with the athletes allegedly not given an opportunity to choose another lane.
That account also highlighted the nature of the burpee station, where competitors must bring their chest to the ground during each repetition.
A separate post claimed the smell remained noticeable even among the final competitors to finish the event.
The social media accounts have not been independently verified, and they appear to conflict in some respects with HYROX China's account of its response.
HYROX China said the affected area was isolated and disinfected after the incident, with contaminated equipment removed. Reports also said part of the venue's carpet was replaced.
Athlete Welfare Comes Under Scrutiny
The controversy has nevertheless raised questions among competitors about how the incident was handled and whether athletes racing later were adequately informed about what had happened.
Joe Ho, who competed at the Beijing event, said people exposed to the incident could face 'genuine physical and psychological consequences'.
'I paid HYROX to provide a professionally organised and safe event,' Ho said, while adding: 'So while I understand the athlete perspective, ultimately my contract and expectation is with HYROX.'
This competitor’s face when he realizes what he’s seeing and smelling at HYROX. pic.twitter.com/ZXYYk6zCg9
— Helen Sexton (@Helen_Sexton3) September 15, 2026
The debate has also drawn attention to the apparent contrast between HYROX's existing penalties and its handling of the contamination incident.
While competitors can receive a two-minute penalty for actions such as splashing water on themselves, the organisation did not stop Wietrzyk during the race after she suffered the medical incident.
HYROX co-founder Moritz Fürste has since apologised and acknowledged that the organisation made a mistake by failing to react immediately.
'We did not react immediately, and that was a mistake,' Fürste said in his apology, according to reports.
HYROX has issued an apology after an athlete suffered an unfortunate accident mid-race but continued competing and went on to win the event. 😳
— TheShadeBorough (@theshadeborough) September 14, 2026
The incident sparked debate online, with some raising hygiene concerns over the athlete continuing to use shared equipment throughout… pic.twitter.com/h2lUtfVcNu
HYROX Changes Its Rules
HYROX has now changed its rules to allow a Race Director to withdraw an athlete on medical grounds if blood, vomit, urine or faeces pose a welfare or contamination risk to the athlete or other competitors.
The rule changes came after Wietrzyk's decision to continue racing triggered a wider debate over athlete welfare, hygiene and the responsibilities of event organisers.
