Wednesday, September 16, 2026 - Malaysian HYROX athlete Zarif Zakaria has questioned his disqualification after claiming he was penalised for starting late because he needed to use the toilet before his race.
Zakaria competed in the Men’s Open category at HYROX Bangkok on August 13 and completed the course in a reported time of 1 hour, 27 minutes and 48 seconds, but his result was later recorded as a disqualification.
Zakaria has now raised concerns about what he sees as inconsistent enforcement of the competition’s rules. He questioned why his late start resulted in disqualification while Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk was allowed to continue competing in Beijing after suffering bowel incontinence during her race.
Under HYROX rules, starting at a time different from the assigned start without permission is listed as an “Incorrect Start Time” violation and carries a disqualification.
The controversy has placed renewed attention on how HYROX officials handle unusual situations during races. Wietrzyk’s incident triggered widespread debate over hygiene and athlete safety, while HYROX co-founder Moritz Fuerste has acknowledged that officials should have intervened.
The organisation has since announced changes to its procedures following the Beijing incident, while Zakaria’s complaint has added another layer to the growing discussion around fairness and rule enforcement.
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