Brands including Reebok are cutting ties with CrossFit after founder and CEO Greg Glassman made a mocking comment about George Floyd’s death on Twitter.
In a response to a post about racism and discrimination by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, Glassman wrote “FLOYD-19.”
It's FLOYD-19.
— Greg Glassman (@CrossFitCEO) June 6, 2020
Glassman then directed another message at the IHME. “Your failed model quarantined us and now you’re going to model a solution to racism?” he wrote. “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!”
Those two tweets led hundreds of affiliate gyms to remove CrossFit from their branding, the BBC reported. Many of those gyms are also donating their affiliate fees to the Black Lives Matter movement.
We sent our letter today pic.twitter.com/TRqf6bItnJ
— Nick H (@NickHurndon) June 7, 2020
Adidas AG, which owns Reebok, also ended its relationship with CrossFit.
“Recently, we have been in discussions regarding a new agreement, however, in light of recent events, we have made the decision to end our partnership with CrossFit HQ,” the company said in a statement.
On Sunday night, Glassman issued an apology via the official CrossFit account.
“I, CrossFit HQ, and the CrossFit community will not stand for racism,” Glassman wrote in part. “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. Floyd is a hero in the black community and not just a victim. I should have been sensitive to that and wasn’t. I apologize for that.”
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