Drop beer sponsor or lose permit, sports ministry warns HYROX Kuala Lumpur organisers

The Youth and Sports Ministry of Malaysia has warned that it will withhold approval for the HYROX Kuala Lumpur 2026 fitness race unless organizers sever ties with its alcoholic beverage sponsor.

This decision follows public backlash and aligns with the ministry's strict adherence to the Safe Sport Code, which prohibits sponsorship or advertising by entities involved in alcohol, tobacco, or e-cigarette industries.

The event organizers have not yet received legal sanction, as their licence application is still under review.

The ministry emphasized that violating these regulations may result in severe penalties, including fines or imprisonment.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — The Youth and Sports Ministry has threatened to withhold event approval for the upcoming HYROX Kuala Lumpur 2026 fitness race unless organisers completely cut ties with an alcoholic beverage sponsor.

The ministry issued the ultimatum following public scrutiny over a viral promotional graphic naming a commercial beer brand as the event’s “Official Beer Partner”. The multi-day fitness competition is scheduled to run from December 10 to 13 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur.

Clarifying that the competition currently lacks legal sanction, the ministry confirmed that the organiser's licence application remains under review and that Putrajaya has neither approved the gathering nor disbursed any state funding.

Authorities cited Article 5.2 of the Safe Sport Code (3rd Edition, 2024), which strictly bars corporate entities involved in tobacco, e-cigarettes, and alcoholic beverages from sponsoring, advertising, merchandising, offering prizes, or affixing commercial trademarks across sports activities sanctioned or supported by the ministry and its agencies.

“The ministry will not compromise in ensuring a safe and healthy sports environment for all participants,” Youth and Sports Minister Mohammed Taufiq Johari said in a statement.

Under statutory licensing rules, prospective event promoters must formally pledge compliance with the Safe Sport Code before being granted regulatory clearance.

The ministry stressed that its position is non-negotiable: official operating permits will remain frozen until the alcohol sponsorship is terminated and all associated branding, logos, and promotional assets are completely purged from marketing channels and the MITEC competition floor.

Organisers were also reminded that staging an event without official sanction violates Section 36(1) of the Sports Development Act 1997, which bars companies from managing sports events without a licence issued by the Commissioner of Sports Malaysia. Breaching the statute carries penalties including fines between RM50,000 and RM500,000, up to five years in prison, or both.

Reiterating that the prohibition applies uniformly across all sporting disciplines without regard to commercial pedigree or target demographics, the ministry reaffirmed that fitness promotions must stay free of vice branding.

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马来西亚青年及体育部警告称，除非主办方与酒精饮料赞助商断绝关系，否则将拒绝批准 HYROX 吉隆坡 2026 年健身赛。

这一决定是在公众强烈反对后做出的，并且符合该部严格遵守《安全运动准则》的原则，该准则禁止涉及酒精、烟草或电子烟行业的实体进行赞助或广告宣传。

活动组织者尚未获得法律许可，因为他们的许可证申请仍在审核中。

该部强调，违反这些规定可能会导致严重的处罚，包括罚款或监禁。

吉隆坡，11月4日讯——青年及体育部威胁称，除非主办方彻底切断与一家酒精饮料赞助商的联系，否则将拒绝批准即将举行的2026年吉隆坡HYROX健身赛。

此前，一张宣传图片在网络上疯传，图片中将一家商业啤酒品牌列为该活动的“官方啤酒合作伙伴”，引发公众关注，随后该部发出最后通牒。这项为期多天的健身比赛计划于12月10日至13日在吉隆坡的马来西亚国际贸易展览中心（MITEC）举行。

该部澄清说，目前该比赛缺乏法律认可，并确认组织者的许可证申请仍在审查中，布城既没有批准此次集会，也没有拨付任何国家资金。

当局援引了《安全运动法典》（2024 年第三版）第 5.2 条，该条严格禁止从事烟草、电子烟和酒精饮料业务的企业实体赞助、宣传、销售商品、提供奖品或在由该部及其机构批准或支持的体育活动中贴上商业商标。

青年和体育部长穆罕默德·陶菲克·乔哈里在一份声明中表示：“该部将毫不妥协地确保所有参与者拥有安全健康的体育环境。”

根据法定许可规定，有意举办活动的组织者必须正式承诺遵守《安全运动守则》，才能获得监管部门的批准。

该部强调其立场不容谈判：官方运营许可证将继续冻结，直到终止酒精赞助，并且所有相关的品牌、标识和宣传资产从营销渠道和MITEC比赛场地彻底清除为止。

主办方还被提醒，未经官方批准举办赛事违反了1997年《体育发展法》第36(1)条的规定，该条禁止公司在未获得马来西亚体育专员颁发的许可证的情况下管理体育赛事。违反该条规定将受到处罚，包括罚款5万至50万令吉，最高可判处五年监禁，或两者并罚。

该部重申，该禁令统一适用于所有体育项目，不考虑商业背景或目标人群，并再次确认健身推广活动必须避免与不良品牌挂钩。

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