Dave Franco, the newly appointed CEO of CrossFit, Inc., has released an official statement committing to long-term culture change following perhaps the toughest two weeks in the organization’s history.
Franco was Director of the CrossFit Games and Co-Director of Training prior to replacing the outgoing Greg Glassman as CEO. Glassman swiftly retired after making a series of flippant remarks about the death of George Floyd, which caused a rift within CrossFit and prompted many brands, athletes and affiliates to visibly distance themselves from what had swiftly become perceived to be a deeply problematic company.
The organization issued an open letter in the aftermath of Glassman’s departure this week, apologizing for taking so long to vocally affirm its support of the Black Lives Matter movement and promising to do better.
In a separate letter to affiliate gym owners posted on his Instagram account, Castro reaffirmed CrossFit’s commitment to inclusion, and explained how the organization will improve the way it communicates at all levels, starting with three action points. First, Castro says that “HQ needs to change — internally and externally — the way we treat each other.” Secondly, “executive leadership needs to earn the trust of employees and the community,” and thirdly, “affiliates and staff must be respected and heard.”
“I’m here to listen to the community, and I’m committed to helping heal what’s been broken and making all feel welcome,” he writes. “We will recover from this. CrossFit affiliates will continue to be the advocates of fitness and health, and to serve as an unwavering source of support for their communities.”
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