CrossFit champion quits over brand’s response to Black Lives Matter scandal

A CrossFit star has dumped the struggling sport, branding its response to the sport’s recent scandal “disgusting” and “disappointing”.

A CrossFit champion has sensationally quit the sport, stating “not enough” had been done in the wake of the race scandal the brand had been engulfed.

CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman, 63, resigned earlier this week over insensitive remarks about the US protests that saw gyms, athletes and sponsors desert the fitness brand.

CrossFit’s games director Dave Castro stepped in as the new CEO, but the move hasn’t been met favourably among the loyal community.

Now Katrín Davíðsdóttir – who was the first to publicly call out Glassman over his behaviour on social media – has addressed her disappointment, telling her 1.8 million followers she refuses to represent the sport until while Glassman still “owns CrossFit”.

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Seven time CrossFit champion Katrín Davíðsdóttir has quit over the Twitter scandal that saw CEO Greg Glassman resign. Picture: Instagram / Katrín Davíðsdóttir

“I am disappointed, to say the least, with the solution that was provided and I do not see change,” the 27-year-old from Iceland wrote in a series of posts.

“ … fundamentally there was no change. Doesn’t Greg Glassman still own 100 per cent of CrossFit?”

She went on to state “I am disgusted beyond words” at the culture that lives at CrossFit HQ and will not be competing in the 2020 CrossFit Games.

“The actions of one man (and those who have idly sat by and watched this happen) have tainted OUR sport and OUR community.

“This is not who I am. My moral compass and the values I stand for make it an easy decision to make: I AM OUT.”

She told her 1.8 million followers ‘I’m out’, stating the sport hadn’t done enough. Picture: Instagram / Katrín Davíðsdóttir

Katrín – who has won the CrossFit Games twice and competed seven times – explained the only way she saw for the sport to move forward is a “blank slate” calling on Greg and those who “stood by” to be ditched from the sport.

Her bold move has been met with huge support from her fellow CrossFit stars, many of whom have flooded her comments section to praise her actions.

CrossFit Greg Glassman has resigned, but it has not been made clear how much ownership and influence he will have on the company that he founded going forward.

Glassman sparked fury when he tweeted in response to a tweet by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation which said racism and discrimination were “critical public health issues”.

“Floyd-19,” Mr Glassman wrote in response, referencing the killing of black man George Floyd, whose death in police custody has sparked the worldwide Black Lives Matter movement.

It's FLOYD-19.

— Greg Glassman (@CrossFitCEO) June 6, 2020

The backlash against Mr Glassman was swift, with followers calling out his tweet as ”tone deaf” and “disgusting”.

Embattled Glassman apologised, saying he made a “mistake” and is “not racist” – but just two days later, he “retired”.

New CEO Castro hasn’t commented on Glassman’s remarks or clarified the what Glassman’s involvement with regards to ownership and influence within the company is going forward, the Morning Chalk Up reports.

Katrin has been applauded for abandoning the embattled sport. Picture: Instagram / Katrín Davíðsdóttir

CrossFit is a high-intensity interval training program which has centres across the world, including Australia, which pay an annual fee to be an affiliate gym.

Glassman – a former gymnast – founded the popular training program with his ex-wife in 2000 and is said to be worth around $145 million, according to The Sun.

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