Competition co-founder apologizes after athlete allowed to continue despite defecating on herself

The international indoor sports competition Hyrox apologized after an incident in Beijing where a runner was allowed to continue a race after soiling herself during the event.

Professional athlete Joanna Wietrzyk finished and won the competition on Saturday, which consists of running and high-intensity exercises. The athlete was seen on video and in photographs racing and using shared fitness equipment with feces running down her legs.

Competitors alternate between running a kilometer and performing exercises at workout stations, including sled pushes and pulls, burpees, rowing, lunges while carrying sandbags. Wietrzyk holds a world record in the Hyrox women’s solo event.

Hyrox co-founder Moritz Fürste issued a statement Sunday on social media apologizing “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.”

“HYROX made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race,” he wrote. “In the end it is my job to foresee these potential incidents — and I did not.”

Fürste said Hyrox made changes to its rules and procedures for the event as a result of the incident, but did not elaborate on what those changes were.

“As of this moment…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/health