Glassman’s “FLOYD-19” tweet on June 7, in response to an Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation post which featured a picture that stated “Racism is a public health issue”, has pitted the company against its own community. More than 1,250 gyms have gone on record stating they will no longer be affiliating with CrossFit Inc., or will pay the required fees to use its name and trademarked brand.

CrossFit did not respond to an interview request for this article.

“My initial reaction was just anger and sadness,” said George after he first heard about the tweet. “It really doesn’t represent the community at all. And the problem is someone who might not know a lot about CrossFit, or what it stands for, might think that this is how the majority of people within the sport think, which is totally wrong.”

“In the seven years I’ve been doing CrossFit I don’t think I’ve ever felt any sort of racial abuse or discomfort in any situation because of my colour, and so for him to put out a statement like that, it was just appalling.”

The death of George Floyd on May 25, in which the African-American was choked after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, has reignited racial tensions across the US and world, sparking riots, mass protests and looting in multiple major American cities.

Another up-and-coming star, African-American Tola Morakinyo, who was born to a Nigerian father and Caucasian mother, hails from Maryland and works as a coach for Invictus Boston. The 24-year-old Morakinyo, who originally qualified for the 2020 CrossFit Games via the Dubai CrossFit Championship, said watching the video of Floyd was a painful experience.

“It took me about a week to watch the video,” said Morakinyo. “I knew it was going to be just as bad as I knew it was going to be, and I had to mentally prepare for it. Then you watch it and there is not a human on earth that can watch that and be OK afterwards. And I was not OK. It really impacted me deeply and I had a really tough time with it.”

CrossFit’s “boxes”, as its gyms are known, have developed a reputation for welcoming all walks of life, regardless of race, gender, religion or athletic acumen under its functional fitness umbrella. Participants work out together in a high-intensity atmosphere while bonding and creating a sense of camaraderie in the process, but it has had its detractors over the years who label it “cultlike” or “dangerous”.

Regardless, its resiliency is in the thousands of boxes that have popped up in more than 100 countries that operate via small business owners who are disciples of the sport. Hong Kong has more than half a dozen.

“Racism and discrimination of any sort does not, and should not, have a place in any sport,” said the 27-year-old. “I still stand by and love the community that has grown through fitness, but I can no longer feel comfortable being associated with CrossFit under the same leadership.”

Kaddour said the exclusionary nature of Glassman’s behaviour (which also includes publicly made emails and a Zoom call with affiliates where he exhibits similarly divisive and egregious character traits) is inexcusable. She wants real change and feels as if the CEO stepping down and being replaced by long-time CrossFit Games director Dave Castro is simply more of the same.

“As an athlete who chooses to cover their head and body when working out, I can empathise with the current sentiments. Although I have a strong and supportive group around me, I do feel that I am constantly questioned about my lifestyle choices that many are unwilling to comprehend.”

George, who also owns an affiliated gym in the UK, echoed Kaddour’s statement about boycotting until real change takes place at CrossFit Inc.

“If I was invited to the Games, I would 100 per cent decline right away,” he said. “And I will not compete in the (2021 CrossFit) Open if it carries on.”

Kaddour and George are not alone in their stance. A number of high-profile athletes have also said they will pass on the 2020 CrossFit Games, which are to take place in California in August and feature a stripped down competition due to coronavirus restrictions.

One of the first was African-American Chandler Smith, who came 15th at the 2019 Games, and posted to Instagram a day after Glassman’s original tweet: “It is my hope that others join me in applying pressure to HQ in order to improve the organisation we love and make it better going forward.”

He has since been joined by the likes of Noah Ohlsen, Kristi Eramo, Katrin Davidsdottir, Brooke Wells, Dani Speagle, Amanda Barhart and Cole Sager, who have all said they will not compete at the Games. The retirement of Glassman and appointment of Castro has done little to move the needle.

Justin LoFranco, who runs CrossFit blog Morning Chalk Up, said the issue lies in Glassman still owning 100 per cent of the shares of CrossFit Inc., which is a private company.

“He still calls the shots,” said LoFranco, who started Morning Chalk Up in 2016. “It’s really just a paper change … culture starts from the top and if Greg Glassman still owns 100 per cent of the company, Dave (Castro) is a part of that culture.”

Part of the disdain stems not only from Glassman’s tweet, but the apology that followed, another tweet via CrossFit’s official account, which many within the community felt made things worse with its dismissive nature and did nothing to address the issues.

Hong Kong’s Ant Haynes, who came 27th at the 2019 CrossFit Games, and runs Coastal Fitness Performance Training in North Point with brother Ed, said they have chosen to disaffiliate. Haynes called Glassman’s haphazard apology “pathetic”.

“I find it sickening to see that someone in a position with so much power and influence over so many is still so backward and narrow-minded,” said the 30-year-old, who is half Chinese and half English.

CrossFit has exploded in Asian countries such as Singapore, as boxes have popped up in Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia and China as fitness and healthy living trend upwards across the region.

“I joined CrossFit because of the community,” said Eng. “This community made everyone feel welcome no matter what background, age and gender you are. Disappointment is what is in my mind right now. I’d spent many years and time dedicated to the sport and working hard for it, and representing it.”

Liwanag said without proper leadership from CrossFit Inc., and statements that fly in the face of what the sport stands for when it comes to seemingly everyone involved outside headquarters, the onus now falls on the practitioners, coaches and owners to repair and salvage the brand from the ashes.

“We need to live up to the battle cry we have been confessing, that we are a community,” said Liwanag, who is also a registered nurse. “We rise towards inclusivity, unity in diversity. That is the brand of CrossFit we wish to envision.”

George, who is planning on dropping his affiliation for CrossFit BFG in Leicester, said one of the positives is all the controversy has brought the community under one united front, which he hopes they can use to incite actual change.

George said the only way he will rethink his commitment to CrossFit is if Glassman sells 100 per cent of his shares and passes them off to the affiliates so the sport can be run by consensus, not as a dictatorship.

“Greg Glassman has acted out in many ways over the years, just drastically making cuts to staff, or just making cuts at the Games, and everyone just kind of got on with it because we love the sport and we love CrossFit and we want to keep it going. And this is the first time it’s brought everyone together with the same views, and we’re all saying we’ve had enough.”

Morakinyo said this is now the ultimatum within the sport of CrossFit, Glassman fully stepping away so the company can head in a new direction and try to repair the damage, or the community breaks from the company and the name entirely.

“Either CrossFit incorporated is going to listen to that, or they’re not. There is not going to be a lot in between for a lot of people. The community will save CrossFit, if they are allowed to.”