CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman Makes Racial Comments Amid Black Lives Matters Protests, Top Athletes Voice Criticism

John Newby

06/08/2020 01:25 pm EDT

Greg Glassman, the CEO of CrossFit, drew criticism over the weekend when he issued a number of racial statements via Twitter. Responding to a tweet from University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, in which the institute called racism and discrimination critical public health issues, Glassman wrote, "It's FLOYD-19." He was referencing George Floyd, a black man who was killed by police in Minneapolis late last month. Glassman then posted a lengthy message about quarantine and racism, stunning several of CrossFit's biggest names and athletes.

"Your failed model quarantined us and now you're going to model a solution to racism?" he responded to the institute. "George Floyd's brutal murder sparked riots nationally. Quarantine alone is 'accompanied in every age and under all political regimes by an undercurrent of suspicion, distrust, and riots.' Thanks!" Glassman tweeted on Sunday.

Following these comments, Reebok severed ties with CrossFit. The company has long been the primary sponsor of the CrossFit Games and has provided footwear for all of the athletes. Reebok had evaluated extending its agreement with CrossFit HQ but decided that is no longer an option.

In addition to Reebok, several top athletes and CrossFit Games winners voiced their criticism of Glassman's comments. Rich Froning Jr., Annie Thorisdottir and Katrin Davidsdottir all weighed in and spoke about how CrossFit is supposed to serve as an example of how to treat others. Several other top athletes joined them in posting messages on social media.

Rich Froning Jr.

Rich Froning Jr. is possibly the most successful athlete in the history of the CrossFit Games. He helped put the sport on the map while winning four consecutive gold medals as an individual athlete. Following his retirement from individual competition, Froning Jr. has led team CrossFit Mayhem Freedom to another four gold medals, as well as silver.

Annie Thorisdottir

"Iceland Annie," the first female to win multiple CrossFit Games, is one of the biggest names in the sport. She has stood on the podium four total times and has only finished outside the top-13 athletes once. The lone exception was 2015 when she had to withdraw.

Dan Bailey

Dan Bailey has never won the CrossFit Games, but he is one of the most popular figures in the sport. The former Division-I sprinter for Ohio University has competed in the CrossFit Games four times, securing a top-10 finish every single year. His best year was 2015 when he finished fourth overall.

Katrin Davidsdottir

Katrin Davidsdottir won the CrossFit Games in both 2015 and 2016, becoming only the third athlete to achieve the feat behind Froning Jr. and Thorisdottir. The Icelandic competitor has enjoyed considerable success throughout her career. In addition to winning the title of Fittest on Earth twice, Davidsdottir has also finished fourth, third, and fifth in the past three Games.

Camille Leblanc-Bazinet

The 2014 Fittest Woman on Earth, Camille Leblanc-Bazinet is known as one of the sport's "enduring athletes." She has competed in the Games seven times and finished in the top-10 four separate times. Leblanc-Bazinet has also won five regional competitions.

Brooke Wells

Brooke Wells is one of the younger athletes in the CrossFit Games, but she has been a contender throughout her career. She finished 15th overall during the 2019 Games, her fifth consecutive year in the top-20 athletes. Wells also has two top-10 finishes in her career.

Noah Ohlsen

"Taking a stand.⁣ I believe in and care more about people than a brand, even if it's one that provides my livelihood. I refuse to stand by and sweep comments under the rug that have been hurtful to so many," Ohlsen wrote on Instagram. The Florida-based athlete won the silver medal during the 2019 CrossFit Games and has four other top-10 finishes in his career.
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"This statement is for the members of our community," he continued. "Please know that there are those of us that represent the sport that you love who DO care, who DO feel some level of the pain and disappointment that you feel, who DO want to address the issues and see forward progress, and who DO NOT agree with the lack of support and empathy that has been shown thus far. While this is just a start, conversations are happening about what comes next."

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