Comments made by CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman on Twitter have prompted many Canadian gyms to de-affiliate from the group.
Transcona CrossFit in Winnipeg left the group, re-naming the gym to Transcona Fitness. Owner Lynne Nelson immediately calling a meeting over the weekend with the rest of her coaching staff to discuss what to do.
“It’s something so morally opposing to our CrossFit community, it was the easiest decision we had to make.”
Glassman took to the companies Twitter account to apologize on Sunday, saying it was mistake.
“@CrossFitCEO I, CrossFit HQ, and the CrossFit community will not stand for racism. I made a mistake by the words I chose yesterday. My heart is deeply saddened by the pain it has caused. It was a mistake, not racist but a mistake,” read Glassman’s tweet.
For Nelson the apology felt like a tactic to buy time, rather than a real acknowledgement of what was done.
“To me it felt super insincere, it felt like he was defending something he shouldn’t be defending,” Nelson said.
“I think at that point maybe it was more of just own what you said and just at least try to do some damage control to save our CrossFit reputation.”
Global News reached to other CrossFit businesses in Manitoba, CrossFit Corydon and Prairie CrossFit sending statements saying they’re taking time to decide what to do next.
“It’s still a few days later and I’m still kind of fumbling for words, and I’m thinking ‘how’ and ‘why’,” Nelson said.
CrossFit announcing Tuesday evening on Twitter, CEO Greg Glassman has retired.
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