Outrage is growing in Fort Worth, Texas, after officials behind the international CrossFit Games decided to continue the competition only one day after an athlete died during a swimming event.
The fitness company CrossFit said Serbian competitor Lazar Đukić died during the individual 800-metre swim portion of the first event on Thursday, which followed a run of more than five kilometres. Đukić was 28 years old.
The CrossFit Games is an annual competition meant to crown “the fittest man and the fittest woman on Earth.” The competition in Fort Worth is the 18th iteration of The CrossFit Games.
Đukić’s body was pulled from Marine Creek Lake about an hour after he entered the water, Fort Worth Fire Department spokesperson Craig Trojacek said during a news conference after the incident.
He was declared dead at the scene.
The event began at 7 a.m. local time. Trojacek said Games organizers noticed Đukić was missing around 8 a.m., when he did not cross the finish line alongside other competitors. Officials have yet to disclose the official cause of Đukić’s death.
Thursday’s event was broadcast live and included footage of Đukić seemingly struggling to keep his head above water while swimming in the lake. Though there were two paddleboarders watching the swimmers pass, Đukić did not receive any emergency help.
In a statement to social media naming Đukić, The CrossFit Games said Thursday was “the saddest day in CrossFit history.”
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“We are shattered by the loss of Lazar Đukić along with the entire CrossFit community,” the statement reads. “Fiercely competitive, incurably joyful and uncommonly kind, Lazar was the sun of any room he was in. The loss of his light is inconceivable.”
Organizers initially suspended events on Thursday following Đukić’s death. Less than 12 hours after issuing the statement, The CrossFit Games said they would continue the competition on Friday, with the weekend “dedicated to Lazar Đukić.”
“The first instinct is to shut down. To isolate. To mourn,” the statement reads. “But the only cure for grief is to grieve. And the best way to grieve is together.”
“In our community, coming together to do hard things is how we pay tribute. In this spirit, we have decided to move forward with the 2024 CrossFit Games,” the Games announced.
The decision was met with backlash from competitors and spectators who felt it was disrespectful to continue. Many also accused the organization of failing to protect competitors with adequate safety measures.
At Thursday’s news conference, CrossFit chief executive Don Faul disputed the claims of event mismanagement and said the company has a “fully planned and documented safety plan” that includes on-site personnel.
The CrossFit Games said they are cooperating with authorities in an ongoing investigation.
CrossFit is a type of high-intensity workout program that includes strength training, cardio and other categories of exercise including calisthenics, swimming and rowing.
Đukić earlier won the 2024 CrossFit Europe Semifinal and was ranked 88th worldwide in the men’s overall category. He first competed at the CrossFit Games in 2021.
Đukić was competing in Texas alongside his brother, Luka.
A GoFundMe page launched for Đukić on Thursday said the athlete was “caring, humorous and relentlessly supported those around him.” The page has already surpassed its original US$200,000 goal by more than $100,000.