Stunning twist as HYROX athlete calls out 'double standard' after he was disqualified for a toilet stop while Aussie raced on while covered in poo

HYROX is facing fresh scrutiny after a competitor questioned why he was disqualified for a late start so he could go to the toilet while Joanna Wietrzyk was allowed to finish despite a mid-race bowel accident.

Malaysian athlete Zarif Zakaria has accused the fitness racing competition of applying its rules inconsistently after Wietrzyk was allowed to finish and win her race in Beijing despite suffering bowel incontinence during the event.

Zakaria competed in the Men's Open category at HYROX Bangkok on August 13, completing the course in a reported time of 1 hour, 27 minutes and 48 seconds.

However, his result was later recorded as a disqualification, which he claims was due to starting late after going to the toilet before the race.

'I got disqualified for going to the toilet before the race. How come people can race while having diarrhea and not get disqualified?' he said on social media.

'Maybe it's time to retire from HYROX.'

However, his story was called into question by another participant, who claimed other HYROX Jakarta competitors had done the same thing before the race without facing any consequences.

'Maybe it was something else you did?' she wrote.

Zakaria replied: 'Late start. Going to toilet before the race, the point is why late start got disqualified and why can athletes continue racing even when they have [diarrhoea] during the race?'

Under the current HYROX rules, competitors are expected to race in their assigned start wave. Starting at a different time without permission is listed as an 'Incorrect Start Time' violation and carries an automatic disqualification.

His comments have added another flashpoint to the debate over organisers' handling of Wietrzyk's race.

The Australian continued competing in Beijing after her bowel accident, prompting criticism over hygiene concerns and the decision to allow her to remain on the course, which other athletes were required to use after her.

'She's so selfish - she kept running the whole way even though she had diarrhoea,' one person said on social media. 'What about the runners behind her?'

HYROX co-founder Moritz Fuerste has since acknowledged organisers should have intervened immediately.

'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,' he said.

'HYROX made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race.'

Fuerste accepted responsibility for the failure to anticipate the situation.

'In the end it is my job to foresee the potential incidents - and I did not.'

He said changes to event procedures and the rulebook began immediately after the incident.

'As of this moment, there are new rules and procedures in place to prevent situations like this from happening again. We learn and try to get better everyday.'

HYROX China also submitted a request for rule changes concerning hygiene standards.

The organisation has separately warned that threatening or bullying participants could result in ban

READ MORE: Coach of viral Aussie HYROX star breaks silence after bowel accident