At this moment, as it's called in other sports, it's the "off-season" for CrossFit, knowing that the CrossFit Games have ended with significant issues still to be resolved.

Tia-Clair Toomey reaffirmed her dominance by winning her seventh Games, and there's a new champion in the men's category with James Sprague. However, this competition held in Fort Worth, Texas, will always be remembered for the death of Lazar Dukic during the event.

The tragic news that shook the world has raised many questions and prompted calls for restructuring both in decision-making and in the safety of athletes during competition.

CrossFit also faces the major challenge of restoring its reputation, as the events that occurred on August 8 during Event 1 of the 2024 CrossFit Games have yet to be officially clarified.

What Has Happened Since Lazar Dukic’s Death?

It has now been more than 10 days since the Serbian athlete lost his life during Event 1 of the 2024 CrossFit Games, and the brand's communication channels have remained almost entirely silent on any updates regarding this tragic event.

On the official CrossFit Games website, the last informational article dates back to August 8; in fact, it’s about the athletes who decided to withdraw from the competition that weekend.

On August 11, the company’s CEO, Don Faul, issued a statement via video, saying, "The safety of our athletes is the most important thing" and that "this tragedy occurred under our watch and responsibility, so we must understand what happened and do everything in our power."

He also announced that "to ensure this never happens again, we have initiated a third-party investigation to thoroughly understand the circumstances," asking for "patience" and "support" during this time, while respecting the privacy of those affected.

How Will Athletes Respond to a New Season?

Brent Fikowski, who placed third at the 2024 CrossFit Games, released a lengthy statement about the existing Professional Fitness Athletes Association (PFAA), an organization with one of its primary objectives being to ensure the safety of participants in these types of competitions.

However, a large part of the community was dissatisfied with the CrossFit Games organization’s response, as they decided to continue with the regular programming despite the tragic death of Lazar Dukic. Even the two reigning champions, Laura Horvath and Jeffrey Adler, chose not to continue.

As Fikowski highlighted in his statement, several top CrossFit athletes support this association, which from now on, will likely advocate for well-being in all aspects of competition.

Another powerful testimony following Dukic’s death came from Luciana Dal Agnol, the wife of Brazilian athlete Guilherme Malheiros. She shared on YouTube that an emergency meeting was held, where it was suggested that part of the prize money from the CrossFit Games be divided among all the athletes, with the remainder being donated to Lazar’s family. However, this proposal was rejected by CrossFit, which decided to continue with the planned schedule.

It's clear that the athletes want to work for the betterment of the sport, but it remains to be seen how willing CrossFit, as a company, is to address the requests of those who make the competition possible.