Following Lazar Đukić’s death at the 2024 CrossFit Games, CrossFit hired a third-party investigation team to analyze the facts surrounding what happened at Marine Creek Lake on Thursday of the Games and to provide recommendations regarding athlete safety at future CrossFit competitions.
The investigation has been completed and the results have been shared with CrossFit, LLC, and its Board of Directors. However, the full report will not be published due to “privacy and legal considerations.”
The investigation team interviewed spectators, athletes and event staff who were at Marine Creek Lake when Lazar drowned, reviewed video footage, read CrossFit’s operational documents and looked at industry standards and operating procedures of other professional sporting events as it relates to water-safety protocols.
After reviewing the findings of the third-party investigation, CrossFit has outlined six changes that will implemented for the 2025 CrossFit Games season to ensure higher safety standards moving forward.
But before we get into the six changes, Dave Castro will NOT be removed from the Sport Team. He will continue to lead CrossFit’s Sport Organization as the Director of Sport despite the PFAA’s demand that he be removed.
CROSSFIT’S ACTIONS & NEXT STEPS
1. Supplementing the CrossFit Sport Leadership Team
CrossFit is creating a new senior leadership role responsible for safety at the CrossFit Games. This person will be responsible for centralizing safety protocols, creating safety and emergency action plans for the Games, overseeing pre-event rehearsals, and coordinating with on-site safety experts, staff, and athletes.
This role will also include assessing that each event has the required staffing, expertise, and resources on site. This person will be responsible for supporting a culture where athletes, staff, and members of the community feel comfortable elevating safety concerns and have clear paths to do so.
This position will report jointly to Dave Castro, who will continue to lead CrossFit’s Sport Organization, and to CrossFit’s CEO, Don Faul. They will be expected to provide regular briefings on CrossFit’s safety plans and posture. CrossFit will hire for this role externally and expects to have this role filled before the next CrossFit Games season.
2. Creating a CrossFit Games Safety Advisory Board
CrossFit will establish a CrossFit Games Safety Advisory Board that will be composed of medical professionals, independent safety experts, and athletes. This independent Advisory Board will meet regularly before and during events to assess risks, review safety protocols, provide feedback, and will serve as an additional, independent escalation path for any athlete who has concerns related to safety. This Advisory Board will also have an in-person presence at future CrossFit Games in a support and advisory capacity.
CrossFit will recruit Advisory Board members with diverse expertise, including emergency responders and former athletes, to ensure comprehensive perspectives and oversight. CrossFit has started to build a slate of candidates and plans to communicate more details about the appointed Safety Advisory Board members by the end of this year.
3. Suspending Open-Water Swimming Events
CrossFit’s suspension of open-water swimming at the CrossFit Games will remain in place. If a future CrossFit Games includes a swimming component, it will take place in highly-controlled environments, such as pools, where safety teams can closely monitor every athlete.
4. Enhancing Pre-Event Rehearsals, Communications Protocols, and Emergency Resources
Beginning at the 2025 CrossFit Games, CrossFit will conduct additional on-site rehearsals for all event staff, safety personnel, and volunteers to test safety protocols and communications equipment.
Going forward CrossFit will add a more robust, safety-specific section during the pre-event briefings with athletes. These briefings will ensure athletes are aware of the risks for each event, the safety protocols and personnel in place to mitigate them, and how to access assistance if they need it. In addition to the in-person briefing, safety measures and protocols will also be distributed in written form to all athletes with clear avenues to ask questions, voice concerns, and escalate issues related to safety.
Moving forward, CrossFit will also ensure that paramedic teams and ambulances are onsite at all events even if they are not legally required based on local ordinances and regulations.
5. Expanding Mental Health and Emotional Support Resources
For the 2025 CrossFit Games season, CrossFit will integrate mental health professionals into the on-site medical teams. Mental health professionals will be readily available to assist athletes and staff experiencing emotional distress, whether they feel impacted by competition pressure, personal issues, or unforeseen emergencies.
6. Establishing a CrossFit Athlete Council
In addition to the CrossFit Games Safety Advisory Board, CrossFit will establish a broader Athlete Council to ensure that athletes from the CrossFit community can share feedback and have greater influence on CrossFit’s protocols for competition, safety, broader athlete welfare and the business of sport.
The Athlete Council will be elected by fellow athletes and will represent athletes from all divisions of competition. Additional details about the Council will be shared at a later date. The intent is to fill the Athlete Council by early 2025.
2025 CROSSFIT GAMES SEASON
We have known CrossFit has been working towards the upcoming 2025 CrossFit Games season. Don Faul has spoken on it and there have been plenty of rumors on what the season structure might look like…as those rumors point to a change in strategy of how the season will operate.
CrossFit will share details of the 2025 CrossFit Games season later this week.
