The Hyrox athletics franchise issued an apology after allowing an athlete to complete a competition in Beijing despite an incident in which she soiled herself during the event. The occurrence, which took place on Saturday in the Chinese capital, drew widespread attention and criticism on social media due to concerns about hygiene and event management.

Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk was seen in photos and videos posted online with soiled legs and shoes as she continued to use various equipment and mats throughout the race. Despite the condition, she completed the event without intervention from the race organisers and officially won the competition, according to information posted on the Hyrox website.

The backlash primarily focused on the fact that other competitors were required to use surfaces that had been contaminated, raising questions about cleanliness and health safety protocols. Hyrox, which originated in Germany in 2018 and now hosts events internationally, combines treadmill running with strength exercises including lunges and rowing in a series of indoor fitness challenges.

In response to the incident, Hyrox co-founder Moritz Furste issued a statement on Monday acknowledging the organisation’s failure to adequately manage the situation. “I apologise 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,” Furste said. He described the oversight as a mistake and accepted responsibility for not anticipating the issue.

Furste also indicated that new guidelines and procedures have been implemented to prevent similar occurrences at future events, though he did not provide further details. The statement conveyed a commitment to improving the handling of unexpected situations to ensure the safety and comfort of all participants.