Community

Glassman Resigns; Castro in as CEO

June 9, 2020 by
Courtesy of CrossFit LLC
Enjoying Morning Chalk Up? Access additional exclusive interviews, analyses, and stories with an Rx membership.

UPDATE 5:07 PM on 6/9: CrossFit released statement from Greg Glassman and Dave Castro announcing Glassman’s retirement and Castro succession as CEO. Updated below.

In a call with CrossFit Seminar staff, Dave Castro revealed that CrossFit Founder Greg Glassman would be stepping down and Castro would replace him as CEO. The announcement, which was leaked on Reddit, was confirmed by multiple participants who were on the call with Castro.

The move comes amid a tumultuous week for the brand as more than 1,000 affiliates have left CrossFit and major companies, athletes and events have distanced themselves from Glassman and CrossFit.

In Glassman’s place, Director of the CrossFit Games, and Co-Director of Training Dave Castro will be stepping in to become the new CEO of CrossFit Inc. in hopes of starting to unify the community and begin to repair the damage of the past week.

  • The move was announced initially to members of the CrossFit Seminar Staff during a Zoom call that took place Tuesday mid-morning.
  • It is unclear at this point whether or not the move will allow some of the recent changes to be walked back, most notably the resignation of Director of Training Nicole Carroll earlier this week.

One big thing: The details are unclear about the full scope of what Glassman’s involvement with regards to ownership and influence within the company is going forward. If the extent of the change is simply Glassman stepping aside while still maintaining sole ownership of the company, then as the sole owner or even majority owner if he gave up some stake, he would still stand to profit considerably from the company’s future development and legally retain full control of the company at his discretion. It’s unlikely that the move would equate to real change in the eyes of the community, and multiple sources have confirmed as much.

For what it’s worth, Castro has not weighed in on Glassman’s FLOYD-19 comments nor his treatment of former affiliate owner Alyssa Royse which sparked outrage among affiliate owners.

Greg Glassman:

“I’m stepping down as CEO of CrossFit, Inc., and I have decided to retire. On Saturday I created a rift in the CrossFit community and unintentionally hurt many of its members. Since I founded CrossFit 20 years ago, it has become the world’s largest network of gyms. All are aligned in offering an elegant solution to the vexing problem of chronic disease. Creating CrossFit and supporting its affiliates and legions of professional trainers has been a labor of love.

Those who know me know that my sole issue is the chronic disease epidemic. I know that CrossFit is the solution to this epidemic and that CrossFit HQ and its staff serve as the stewards of CrossFit affiliates worldwide. I cannot let my behavior stand in the way of HQ’s or affiliates’ missions. They are too important to jeopardize.”

Dave Castro:

“CrossFit is a community — one that is global, diverse, and tough. Every person in our community shares a common bond. We are all dedicated to a visionary, transformative approach to health and fitness. Our individual passions for that approach have forged an enduring community.

Our community is hurt, though. Our shared bond brings together millions of people with differing opinions, viewpoints, and experiences. Friction is inevitable. Common ground, mutual respect, and fellowship must also be inevitable. I’m honored to take on the role of CEO of CrossFit, Inc. I hope to do right by affiliates, trainers, athletes, and other members of the CrossFit community around the world and never lose sight of the mission Greg established for us all.”

Get the Newsletter

For a daily digest of all things CrossFit. Community, Competitions, Athletes, Tips, Recipes, Deals and more.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.