The CrossFit brand and its flagship competition, the CrossFit Games, have continued to suffer from media and social pressure in recent days.
And no wonder. The death of athlete Lazar Dukic last Thursday, during the first of the men’s individual events at the 2024 Games, has shaken the values of a brand whose community of practitioners is its greatest asset. Or at least, that has been the case so far.
The incident occurred in the final moments of the running and swimming event that the company scheduled for its first event. Dukic suffered cardiac arrest just 100 meters from the finish line, and despite the presence of several rescuers, none of the CrossFit security team came to his rescue.
JUST IN: Serbian CrossFit athlete Lazar Dukic disappears under the water just moments before crossing the finish line during the 2024 CrossFit Games.
Dukic’s team told the organizers he didn’t emerge from the water which prompted a dive team to look for him.
“It is our… pic.twitter.com/Q0jcYJfbLf
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 8, 2024
CrossFit’s reputation has been tarnished by such actions, and this has forced the brand’s CEO, Don Faul, to issue a video statement to try to clarify some basic issues.
In the document, the CrossFit leader wanted to show the roadmap that his company intends to follow in the coming weeks: “We regret the death of Lazar and our hearts cry for his family.” “The safety of our athletes is the most important thing, this tragedy happened under our supervision and responsibility, so we must understand what happened and do what is within our power,” Faul begins by saying.
He also announced that “to ensure that this does not happen again, we have initiated a third-party investigation to fully understand the circumstances.” He therefore asked for “patience” and “support” as these proceedings progress, respecting the privacy of those affected, and argued that “any necessary changes determined by the investigation will be implemented,” argues the CEO of CrossFit.
Regarding the decision to continue with the CrossFit Games, Don Faul says that “after a series of conversations on Thursday night, we decided to continue and we understand that not everyone agrees with our plan, but we are doing the best we can.” “Our decision put the athletes in a very difficult position, and we respect their personal decisions, they are choosing to honor Lazar in different ways,” he concludes.
As Faul explains, athletes have been faced with the most difficult of situations these days: continue competing under exceptionally painful circumstances, or retire, with the financial losses that this entails for them.
For many, the CrossFit Games represent the biggest showcase for sponsors and patronage, and on a sporting level, some of these athletes are aware that they may not compete on such a stage again. In total, 13 of 80 athletes have decided to withdraw from the competition.
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