CrossFit Commit Okavango Calls CrossFit's Drug Testing Protocols into Question on Back of Failed Drug Test at FICT
Lize Burns, a member of team CrossFit Commit Okavango that qualified for the CrossFit Games from the Fittest in Cape Town Semifinal, was notified on June 18 that the urine sample she provided tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, the Morning Chalk Up has confirmed. However Burns – who denies the sample belongs to her – has alleged several irregularities with CrossFit’s testing process including athletes being given beer and caffeinated drinks in the testing station during drug testing by CrossFit representatives.
The details: While both the A and B samples returned positive for GW1516 sulfoxide, GW1516 Sulfone, metabolites of GW1516, the Doping Control Form (DCF) included with the sample lists her as “SA Male Athlete 3.” According to Burns, “I never signed for a form which referred to me as a male athlete and that I signed for the alias known as SA Female Athlete 2 as I was the second female athlete to be tested.”
The Doping Control Form, which was supposed to be sent to Burns immediately after it was filled out, was sent to the wrong email address: [email protected] instead of [email protected].
CrossFit claims that the error was due to an autocorrect issue from using an iPad.
The DCF is important because it contains the sample number as proof that the athlete signed acknowledging that specific sample as his or her own.
The Drug Control Officer responsible for reviewing all information is disputing Burns’ account. According to email traffic reviewed between CrossFit and Burns, CrossFit stated on behalf of the office, “you did complete all of the personal information on the Doping Control Form (DCF) for sample number (redacted). They asked you to verify the information was correct and watched as you signed the form and hit the submit button.”
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SPEED READS
In case you missed it: Lauren Kalil, the host of The Bottom Line, spoke to Brian Friend and Tommy Marquez about Nycolas Joyal’s admission he used banned substances and will most likely be booted from the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games.
He’s in!: Roman Khrennikov is most definitely putting his US visa to good use as he will now be participating in Wodapalooza this coming January. How awesome is this? 🥳
Local love: Great story on a local ABC station about 17-year-old Bloomington resident Caleb McClure and his blossoming CrossFit career.
UK love: Another great story, this time on Leila Ives, who has multiple sclerosis, on representing her community at the CrossFit Games (register to read).
CROSSFIT GAMES
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
Are the CrossFit Semifinals Appropriate Qualifiers for the Games?
In the recent trailer for the newest CrossFit Games documentary, The Fittest on Earth: Next Gen, there were two notable quotes that inspired this study:
Adrian Bozman: “How can we throw this many events at people and still allow them to recover enough to really put their best foot forward?”
Sean Woodland: “You cannot part-time this. You have to dedicate your life to it; and even that may not be enough.”
We’ll start with the second one, which is an interesting statement. It certainly seems as if it should be a true statement, and yet we saw many athletes who are not full-time athletes qualify yet again for the CrossFit Games coming through the Semifinal format. A few notable examples are:
Emily Rolfe— a full-time diagnostic radiographer and now three-time CrossFit Games athlete.
Elisa Fuliano— a full-time digital designer who spends her work days sitting at a computer, and doesn’t train until at least 6 pm on those nights.
The significant thing about these two athletes is that Rolfe has now qualified for three of the last four CrossFit Games despite maintaining her job, while Fuliano just proved that you can qualify for the Games as a rookie (and beat full-time athletes like Katrin Davdisdottir in doing so) despite having a full time job.
As for the quote from Bozman, this is without a doubt a critical component of the CrossFit Games, and as such should be tested in the qualifying process. And that leads us into the analytical part of this study.
Wodapalooza Makes Major Branding Change With TYR as First-Ever Title Sponsor
When the top CrossFit athletes head to Miami, FL., in January, they will see a significant change at the Wodapalooza Fitness Festival. The four-day event will have a new title sponsor in TYR Sport.
The details: Loud and Live announced the news on July 7 and revealed that this is a multi-year deal. TYR Sport will serve as the title sponsor of Wodapalooza through the 2025 event as the company continues its move into the world of CrossFit.
The purpose of this deal is to support the more than 2,000 competitors that show up and test themselves in the South Florida heat and humidity. The 2023 event will feature a prize purse of more than $400,000.
The 2022 iteration featured $375,000 in prize money split between the top-10 athletes in the individual male and female divisions. WZA ultimately paid out $480,000 after accounting for event wins and the money that went to the top five teams.
Named for TYR the Norse god of valor and sacrifice, TYR Sport has a list of 30 top-tier athletes spread across multiple sports. Olympians Ryan Lochte, Lilly King, Michael Andrew, and Katie Ledecky stand out atop this list due to their combined 22 Olympic medals, as well as TYR’s deep ties to competitive swimming.
TYR has partnered with top-shelf CrossFit athletes, including newer additions in Pat Vellner, Annie Thorisdottir, and Guiherme Malheiros.
The list of CrossFit athletes also includes Noah Ohlsen, Travis Mayer, Bethany Shadburne, Ricky Garard, Amanda Barnhart, Emma Cary, Will Moorad, Meg Reardon, Saxon Panchik, Kristine Best, and Lazar Dukic.
Mat Fraser Talks ‘Selective’ Ideology and Training Mal O'Brien in USA Today Interview
Five-time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser recently spoke with major news outlet USA Today for an interview regarding his CrossFit experience, his new role as a coach, and how newcomers can try CrossFit for themselves.
“Show up, give it a try.”
Fraser acts as an ambassador to the sport in the article, explaining the Games system and acknowledging that getting to the highest tier of the sport takes more than just “signing up for the Open,” while maintaining a level of accessibility for prospective athletes. Fraser advises people interested in CrossFit to “show up, give it a try,” citing the age-old slogan of CrossFit being “infinitely scalable” as his evidence.
“I’m very selective with who I work with.”
In regards to his new role as a coach to the “next gen” of CrossFit Games athletes, Fraser said it’s “very rewarding” to see up-and-comers like Mallory O’Brien prove to themselves what they’re capable of. Currently, Fraser and HWPO train O’Brien, Jake Marconi, and Jayson Hopper.
In addition, Fraser identified O’Brien as having the potential for a long and successful career. He said their current goal is to set solid foundations to support years of elite training for the 18-year-old.
The bottom line: Fraser shed good perspective and light on the world of CrossFit to a large audience, and struck a balance between exciting readers through the mystique of CrossFit and the accessibility.
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Want healthier shoulders that feel as good at the end of a WOD as they do at the beginning? Well, strong shoulders equal healthy shoulders. Here are three exercises to add to your routine to build your boulder shoulders.
A Free WHOOP Strap 4.0 and Extra Month's Membership
WHOOP measures your body's data over 100 times a second to provide personalized feedback on your recovery, strain, and sleep. Morning Chalk Up readers can get a free strap and an extra month's membership when you sign up at the link below.
A common fault when performing snatches is jumping forward or backward. And if you find yourself in a different zip code after a few snatches, this is the drill for you. Grab yourself a few boxes and start doing this drill.
Congratulations Charlotte Sparacino from Babylon CrossFit in Babylon, NY on the 155 pound/70kg push press triple.
Last week we highlighted Paulina Haro on her silver medal at the Panamerican Weightlifting Championship. We managed to find a video and you have to see this lift for yourself!
262 pound/119kg clean and jerk for the 18-year-old PRVN athlete.
Congratulations Lindsay Broekel from Ocean State CrossFit in Cranston, RI on the 225 pound/102kg jerk PR.
Congratulations Coach Christine Middleton from Ocean State CrossFit / Ironclad Barbell Club on making the podium at the USA Weightlifting National Championship.
Community:
CrossFit Invictus mourns the loss of long-time member and social media savant, Jaimie Bougie. A GoFundMe has been set up to offset the cost of funeral arrangements for Jaimie’s family.
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