HYROX faces backlash after athlete continued competing after soiling herself during race

The fitness brand apologized as participants raised concerns about hygiene, contaminated equipment and how organizers handled the incident.

International fitness competition brand HYROX has apologized after allowing an athlete to continue competing during a Beijing race after she soiled herself midway through the event. Footage of the incident circulated online, prompting criticism of race organizers and questions about why the athlete was permitted to continue despite concerns about hygiene and potentially contaminated equipment.

HYROX co-founder Moritz Fürste apologized to people affected by the incident, saying the company “did not handle the situation like we should have.” He said HYROX would make immediate changes to its event procedures, according to BBC.

Founded in Hamburg, Germany, in 2017, HYROX combines running with functional fitness exercises. Competitors alternate one-kilometer runs with challenges including sled pushes, burpee broad jumps, rowing and weighted lunges. The competition has expanded rapidly worldwide and entered mainland China in late 2024. The Beijing event was so popular that organizers added an additional day.

HYROX said it already has procedures covering medical situations and biological contamination. It acknowledged that an unforeseen situation led to confusion over how those protocols should be applied. The incident has prompted questions because HYROX prohibits certain conduct during competitions, including spitting, littering and other actions that can affect the competition environment.

Some participants reportedly called for an apology and refunds after the Beijing event, saying they had been exposed to potentially contaminated equipment. Joe Ho, who competed at the event, criticized HYROX’s response and argued that participants should be offered refunds, credits or another form of compensation.

Accidents involving bodily functions are not unprecedented in endurance sports. British marathoner Paula Radcliffe famously stopped during the 2005 London Marathon to relieve herself before continuing and winning the race. However, HYROX’s situation raises the question of, “when does an athlete’s determination to finish become an organizer’s responsibility to intervene?”

The controversy comes as the brand continues to grow and attract new competitors. For HYROX, the immediate issue is whether its rules and medical procedures can keep pace with the scale of its expansion.