HYROX Beijing drew significant media attention after Joanna Wietryzk defecated during the competition.
Photo: Joanna Wietrzyk/Instagram
On September 12, Joanna took part in the fitness and race competition, where she was seen competing even though feces ran down her legs. She was able to finish the race; however, her mid-race incident affected track surfaces and contaminated the shared equipment for more than 1,000 participants.
She also bagged first place in the women’s singles category.
As photos of the incident went viral on social media, online discussions about what happened gained traction. Social media users questioned the safety of the athletes and the venue after being exposed to human waste.
If you’re wondering what happened next, here’s everything you need to know:
Joanna’s statement
Joanna Wietryzk later on released a personal statement to address what happened at HYROX Beijing.
On September 17, Joanna offered her sincere apologies addressed to the people of China, her fellow competitors, HYROX organizers, and spectators for what happened during the race.
View this post on Instagram
“I felt completely fit and healthy at the start of the race, with no reason to expect any illness,” she wrote in an Instagram statement.
Upon reflecting on the situation, the Australian athlete said that she regretted her decision not to step off the competition.
“I recognize that I should have made a different choice. I take responsibility for my decision to continue and am deeply sorry for the discomfort and disruption it caused,” she said, expressing regret for what happened. “I know my actions had an impact beyond myself, and I am genuinely sorry to everyone who was affected. I am learning from this experience and will carry those lessons with me, including remembering that there is more to life than racing and knowing when it is right to step away.”
Additionally, she expressed gratitude to those who extended kindness and grace to her despite what happened. She vowed that she would take some time off to recover and reflect away from the noise.
“Thank you to those standing by me, both as an athlete and as a person, during this time, and to everyone who has reached out with kindness and support. It means more to me than I can properly express right now.”
Following the incident, she has retroactively withdrawn from the race and forfeited the points that she had earned.
HYROX’s statement
HYROX co-founder Moritz apologized on Instagram for how the organization handled the situation in Beijing.
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“I apologize to all that were directly or indirectly affected, as well as to everyone who felt like we did not handle the situation like we should have,” he wrote.
“Hyrox made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race,” he said. “In the end, it is my job to foresee these potential incidents – and I did not,” he added.
Participants who competed in the same schedule as Joana were refunded.
New game rules
HYROX organizers pledged that there would be “immediate rule changes” after the incident at HYROX Beijing,
According to an article published by South China Morning Post, HYROX China reported that their staff immediately disinfected the venue and replaced the carpets that were contaminated, as well as the issuance of full refunds to athletes affected.
HYROX China also updated its global rulebook, adding a protocol for biological contamination.
“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, in line with Hyrox’s medical and hygiene SOPs. Any such withdrawal is recorded on the leaderboard as DNF (Did Not Finish),” it said.
HYROX is an indoor fitness race that combines eight kilometers of running with eight functional workout stations. The events are standardized across all locations, allowing participants to compare their results no matter where they compete.
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