Gregg Glassman, CrossFit’s CEO has stepped down after telling staff on a Zoom call, “We’re Not Mourning For George Floyd,” and Guyana’s fittest woman and CrossFit star athlete, Delice Adonis, has weighed in on the saga which has since sparked a backlash.
Adonis, along with others in the CrossFit Community, were displeased after Glassman made his remarks over the weekend.
Hours before he posted a controversial tweet on Saturday night that has sparked a backlash against his company, Greg Glassman, CrossFit’s CEO and founder, told gym owners on a private Zoom call, “We’re not mourning for George Floyd — I don’t think me or any of my staff are,” according to recordings.
“Can you tell me why I should mourn for him? Other than that it’s the white thing to do — other than that, give me another reason,” he asked a Minneapolis gym owner who had questioned why the brand hadn’t posted a statement about the protests across the globe after the death of George Floyd.
On Tuesday night, shortly after the news of Glassman’s remarks started trending, the company released a statement saying that he had “decided to retire” and was stepping down as CEO.
Adonis had the following to say:
“The CrossFit community is a unique one, defined by camaraderie, respect and mutual desire to become better.
The recent statements made by CrossFit’s CEO and Founder, Greg Glassman, do not reflect our community. They were insensitive, disrespectful and simply tone-deaf. The measly attempt at an apology that followed days after was disingenuous, lacked any sort of real apology or integrity. CrossFit deserves better leadership.
I am proud that so many members of the community have stepped up to call him out for these statements, and to call out others who have shown agreement with them. Many gyms have chosen to de affiliate and I support them.
Sponsors and vendors have terminated their agreements with CF Inc. and I support that. Athletes have backed out of the games and I support them too. The best way to make an impact at this point is to show support for the community that has long been underrepresented, misrepresented, disrespected and undervalued both in fitness spaces, media and in society. By taking away revenue directed to CrossFit Inc, people are sending the message that we don’t support your statements and it’s time for a change.
Personally, I have never been made to feel discriminated against or unwelcome at my gym. While I am not well-traveled or experienced, I do believe that many other CrossFit gyms have a similar atmosphere of inclusivity.
I do not have any direct affiliations with CrossFit HQ and I do believe the organization needs new leadership to move forward. I believe our community can survive without the business that is ‘CrossFit’ and that we will in fact be stronger for it.
Yesterday, CrossFit sent out an announcement stating that Greg Glassman would be stepping down from his position as CEO and Dave Castro (formerly Director of the CrossFit Games) would be taking over. While this is a good first step towards change, Greg Glassman still owns 100% of the business, meaning revenue from the community will still go to him. I believe it’s important to take away power from racist, misogynistic, insensitive and biased organizations, whether they be the police or CrossFit Inc. We all know money is power therefore the best way to do this is by decreasing their revenue.
At this time, I’ll refrain from commenting on the choice of his replacement because I believe people deserve a chance to show their ability at the very least. However, I will say that people can’t only expect Crossfit HQ to lead the way in terms of diversity and inclusion, it also needs to happen at a micro level in each country, in each state, in each gym. We as a community all need to band together to make this sport a safe space for all genders, races, sexual orientations and economic levels.
I have no clue what the future of CrossFit Inc holds. What I do know is that I will continue to support the community that has shown me support over the past few years and I will continue striving to be a better person, physically, mentally and emotionally, each day. The Black Lives Matter movement is a global one. I believe we are all in this together and that whatever happens moving forward will spark a new era of equality and growth.”
