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14 Jun, 2020 19:29

'I am OUT': CrossFit queen vows to BOYCOTT 'tainted' sport & claims to be 'disgusted beyond words' over CEO's George Floyd scandal

'I am OUT': CrossFit queen vows to BOYCOTT 'tainted' sport & claims to be 'disgusted beyond words' over CEO's George Floyd scandal

Ex-CrossFit Games champ and 'fittest woman on earth' Katrin Davidsdottir has angrily rebuked the culture at the heart of CrossFit in the aftermath of the resignation of CEO Greg Glassman, issuing a demand for more change.

Glassman sparked outrage by linking George Floyd, the man whose killing by police has caused widespread anti-racism protests across the world, with the coronavirus pandemic by tweeting “it’s FLOYD-19" last weekend.

The founder of the brand synonymous with the fitness craze it shares its name with resigned earlier this week after critics insisted he had made light of Floyd's death on Twitter and in audio from a leaked call.

Also on rt.com ‘I created a rift in our community’: CrossFit CEO forced to resign over ‘Floyd-19’ tweet & leaked Zoom call

In the recording, Glassman appeared to tell gym affiliates and company staff that "we're not mourning for George Floyd" – enraging CrossFit star Davidsdottir, who unequivocally disowned Glassman's words in a series of posts containing a screenshot of his tweet and appearing to show an email from him lambasting her.

"I will not be competing in the 2020 CrossFit games," the two-time champion told her following of more than 1.8 million. "Until further changes have been made, I will not represent this sport.

"I want it to be heard that this is not what we, the community, stand for. These actions of one man, and those who have idly sat by and watched this happen, have tainted our sport and community. We do not represent this."

Adding that she was "disgusted beyond words" by the "culture that has lived at CrossFit headquarters," the veteran claimed her "moral compass" and "values" had made her decision to withdraw easy.

"I am out," she concluded. "The only way I see forward is for a blank slate. Greg and those who stood by while this happened cannot form a part of CrossFit."

Davidsdottir labeled Glassman's departure a PR stunt and claimed he still owned "100%" of CrossFit earlier in the week, accusing the organization of a chronic lack of leadership.

In his purported emails to one affiliate gym owner in response to calls for the company to issue anti-racist statements in support of Black Lives Matter, Glassman told the woman that quarantine had "adversely impacted" her mental health and calling her "delusional and cringeworthy."

View this post on Instagram

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A post shared by Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir (@katrintanja) on

"You think you're more virtuous than you are," he supposedly blasted. "It's disgusting. You're doing your best to brand us as racist and you know it's bullsh*t."

The disgraced executive finished by saying the gym owner's actions were "wrong to the point of being evil" and calling himself ashamed of her.

While many fans applauded Davidsdottir's views and praised her as an inspiration, others were less impressed. "Screw the organization that gave you so much because you think they’re racially insensitive," replied one.

View this post on Instagram

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A post shared by Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir (@katrintanja) on

"I swear our generation is a bunch of pansies with no tolerance for anything that makes them the slightest bit uncomfortable."

Another warned: "What Greg Glassman said was wrong and he should be punished for it. But the way I see it, by your choice to not compete this year, you are quitting on your fans and the community.

"You should have stayed and let your voice heard. Quitting is not the answer from athletes."

Also on rt.com CrossFit loses corporate partnerships after CEO mocks ‘racism is a public health issue’ virtue-signal

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