ABC News (AU)
· collected 2026-09-14 · by Allyson Horn and Xiaoning Mo
In short:
Organisers of sporting event HYROX have faced criticism after an Australian woman was allowed to continue competing after she suffered fecal incontinence.
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she → face → incontinence
HYROX China has said the area was decontaminated after the race finished.
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race → say → ?
The organisers of a viral sporting event in Beijing have faced backlash and criticism after an Australian woman was allowed to continue competing after soiling herself.
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woman → face → herself
Athlete Joanna Wietrzyk was participating in the global indoor fitness race HYROX in the Chinese capital at the weekend when she suffered a bout of fecal incontinence.
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she → participate → incontinence
Wietrzyk was allowed to finish the course and won her event, with videos and photos posted online showing her continuing through demanding exercises and using communal equipment while visibly soiled.
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her → allow → equipment
The incident has gone viral on Chinese social media and sparked debate about HYROX's health and safety standards, as well as athlete responsibility.
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incident → go → responsibility
"She's so selfish — she kept running the whole way even though she had diarrhoea," one user on Weibo questioned.
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user → keep → Weibo
Another wrote: "The host is ultimately unprofessional!"
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host → write → ?
On Weibo, the hashtag #Hyrox incontinence female competitor has not been punished# has more than 27 million views.
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competitor → punish → views
HYROX is a global fitness challenge in which participants race to complete often gruelling stations, including sandbag lunges, burpees, sled pushes and rowing.
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participants → race → lunges
An article on the Beijing incident was the most-viewed story on Chinese state media website, the Global Times, on Monday.
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article → view → Monday
In a statement, HYROX China said the area was decontaminated after the race had finished.
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race → say → statement
"After the incident, the organising committee immediately closed off and isolated the affected area and track, and completed comprehensive disinfection," organisers said.
"Relevant equipment was removed from the venue, and waste was disposed of in accordance with municipal waste-management standards."
The organisers also said they would replace flooring at the venue to protect future athlete health.
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they → close → health
HYROX World also issued a statement addressing the incident.
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World → issue → incident
"HYROX has clear bio-contaminant and medical procedures in place," the statement said.
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statement → have → place
"In this instance, an unforeseen situation arose in which protocols designed for elite competition and mass participation became blurred, creating ambiguity in how they were applied and understood.
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they → arise → ambiguity
But social media users and other athletes at the event have attacked the response and questioned why Wietrzyk was allowed to finish the race, potentially risking the health and safety of other competitors.
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Wietrzyk → attack → competitors
"For people who were exposed to that situation, there could be genuine physical and psychological consequences," one competitor named johopalooza posted on Instagram.
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competitor → expose → Instagram
"I paid HYROX to provide a professionally organised and safe event.
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I → pay → event
So while I understand the athlete perspective, ultimately my contract and expectation is with HYROX.
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contract → understand → HYROX
"Protecting athletes is important, but showing the wider community that HYROX takes responsibility when its own procedures fail is just as important."
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procedures → protect → responsibility
'Organisers should assess the risk'
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Organisers → assess → risk
HYROX has also been accused of double standards over its hygiene rules, which punish athletes with time penalties if they litter on the course, spit or clear their nose onto the floor.
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they → accuse → floor
HYROX has been contacted for comment.
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HYROX → contact → comment
Wietrzyk, who is a HYROX world-record holder, was invited to compete at the Beijing event.
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who → invite → event
She has been contacted for comment.
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She → contact → comment
Li Hongxin, an associate professor of sports management at China's Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, said the athlete should not be criticised or judged for experiencing a physiological problem.
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athlete → say → problem
"I think her determination and sportsmanship are very understandable," he said.
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he → think → ?
But he said the incident raised questions about the responsibility of event organisers.
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incident → say → organisers
"Organisers should assess whether such a situation could affect the health or wellbeing of other competitors," he said.
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he → assess → competitors
Dr Li said this was particularly important because HYROX was an indoor event.
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HYROX → say → ?
If a competitor is menstruating, organisers would generally respect their decision to continue because a marathon is an outdoor event," he said.
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he → menstruate → decision
"They don't share equipment with other competitors, so it generally doesn't pose a public safety concern.
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it → share → concern
"But HYROX is an indoor event, where competitors share equipment.
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competitors → share → equipment
In that situation, I think the organisers should have staff step in and adjust the event, or take appropriate emergency measures."
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staff → think → measures
