CrossFit under fire over founder’s comments on George Floyd

CrossFit is under fire after its founder and CEO’s controversial tweet regarding George Floyd’s death, prompting gyms to end their affiliation with the company on Monday.

Several gyms, as well as Reebok, announced they would end their partnership with CrossFit after founder and CEO Greg Glassman tweeted over the weekend in response to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

The institute tweeted a statement saying that “racism and discrimination are critical public health issues that demand an urgent response.”

Glassman responded by saying, “It’s FLOYD-19.”

It’s FLOYD-19.

— Greg Glassman (@CrossFitCEO) June 6, 2020

In another tweet, he replied to the institute, saying, “Your failed model quarantined us and now you’re going to model a solution to racism?

“George Floyd’s brutal murder sparked riots nationally,” the post continued. “Quarantine alone is ‘accompanied in every age and under all political regimes by an undercurrent of suspicion, distrust, and riots.’ Thanks!”

Reebok released a statement obtained by The Hill in response to Glassman’s posts saying its partnership with CrossFit will end “later this year” and the company decided to “end our partnership” with CrossFit “in light of recent events.”

“We will fulfill our remaining contractual obligations in 2020,” a spokesperson for Reebok said. “We owe this to the CrossFit Games competitors, fans and the community. What doesn’t change is our commitment and dedication to CrossFitters and the passionate CrossFit community.”

Other gyms took to Instagram to announce their disaffiliation, like NCFIT and DEUCE Backlot. 

Rogue Fitness called Glassman’s comments “unacceptable under all conditions” and decided to remove the CrossFit logo from its 2020 event. The gym said it will fulfill its 2020 commitments, but “the future is dependent on the direction and leadership within CrossFit HQ.”

Four-time winner of the CrossFit Games Rich Froning also criticized Glassman’s tweet in a video and statement on Instagram.

“I feel like if I was to continue to follow along with someone who was going to preach division, and not bring us together, I would be going against who I am as a person,” he said.

In an apology statement released by CrossFit, Glassman said he and the company “will not stand for racism” and acknowledged that invoking Floyd’s name was “wrong.”

“I made a mistake by the words I chose yesterday,” he said. “My heart is deeply saddened by the pain it has caused. It was a mistake, not racist, but a mistake.”

“It’s our hope that his murder catalyzes real change resulting in a level playing field for our black brothers and sisters,” the CEO added.

Floyd is a hero in the black community and not just a victim. I should have been sensitive to that and wasn’t. I apologize for that. I was trying to stick it to the @IHME_UW for their invalidated models resulting in needless, economy-wrecking, life-wrecking lockdown,

— CrossFit (@CrossFit) June 8, 2020

An affiliate gym owner in Seattle, Alyssa Royse, wrote a column last week criticizing CrossFit for not being vocal in the Black Lives Matter movement. She included in her post an email response from Glassman that said, “I sincerely believe that quarantine has adversely impacted your mental health.”

“You’re doing your best to brand us as racist and you know it’s bullshit. That makes you a really shitty person. Do you understand that?” the CEO allegedly wrote. “You’ve let your politics warp you into something that strikes me as wrong to the point of being evil. I am ashamed of you.”

–This report was updated at 1:21 p.m.