PUMA page removals fuel Joanna Wietrzyk split talk
Thestandard · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
PUMA has come under scrutiny after pages carrying Joanna Wietrzyk’s name disappeared from some regional websites following the Australian athlete’s incontinence controversy at a HYROX event in Beijing. The company has not said it ended its relationship with her, while Wietrzyk has apologised, surrendered her result and qualification, and stepped back for reflection.
Key Points
- Wietrzyk lost control of her bowels during the September 12 HYROX Beijing race, kept using shared equipment, finished in about 1 hour 1 minute, and initially won the event.
- British and Australian media said a page labelled “Joanna Wietrzyk x PUMA” disappeared from some official PUMA online stores, prompting speculation the sponsor was distancing itself.
- Hybrid Fitness Media later said the page was not a personal co-designed collection, but a “HYROX picks” shopping page using her name to curate products.
- PUMA sites in Ireland and Luxembourg still carried pages named after her, her social media bio still listed her as a PUMA Training athlete, and no sponsorship termination was announced.
- On September 17, Wietrzyk said she sincerely regretted continuing, should have left the track immediately, and was giving up her result, ranking points and qualification.
Why It Matters
The episode has shifted from a race-day hygiene dispute into a reputational test for both athlete sponsorships and event governance, especially when social media mockery quickly amplifies brand pressure. HYROX has already tightened its rules so race directors can force withdrawals on medical grounds when bodily fluids create health or contamination risks.