Director of training resigns from CrossFit over George Floyd tweet by CEO Greg Glassman, saying black community has been ‘mocked’

Nicole Carroll, director of certification and training at CrossFit Inc., has resigned over a tweet by CEO Greg Glassman that has caused widespread condemnation. Caroll trained with Glassman in the early days of CrossFit before becoming one of its executive staff members.

But she now believes “a line has been drawn to where each of us will be held accountable for words that do not represent who we have been”, according to an email obtained by CrossFit website the Morning Chalk Up.

Glassman tweeted “It’s FLOYD-19”, referring to George Floyd, killed by a white police office, and the Covid-19 pandemic. He was replying to a post by the Institution for Health Metrics and Evaluation that discussed the link between public health and racism.

Glassman added: “Your failed model quarantined us and now you’re going to model a solution to racism? George Floyd’s brutal murder sparked riots nationally. Quarantine alone is ‘accompanied in every age and under all political regimes by an undercurrent of suspicion, distrust, and riots.’ Thanks!”

Sponsors, including Reebok and Rogue, quickly dropped CrossFit and the top athletes threatened to boycott the Games unless there was a change in leadership. Glassman backtracked on the use of Floyd to make his point, but his apology was hollow.