Reebok is breaking off its partnership with CrossFit

The reason for this was a careless comment by CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman on the protests in the United States.

The comment was posted on Twitter under a message from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, which claimed that racism and discrimination are “critical public health issues.” The topic was raised in connection with the death of George Floyd and the ensuing protests in many US states. In his comment, Glassman wrote, “It’s FLOYD-19,” which caused public outrage.

Reebok’s 10-year partnership with CrossFit will be completely suspended until the end of the year after the brand meets its current contractual obligations. In particular, Reebok will be the title sponsor of CrossFit 2020 games. At the same time, the company has assured that it remains committed to the CrossFit community and intends to continue supporting athletes, coaches, and other representatives of the sport on the field. 

Links with CrossFit are now being cut short by many well-known athletes, as well as partner companies such as sports equipment supplier Rogue Fitness, the Rocket CrossFit gym, and many other gyms across the country. The reason for this is not only Glassmann’s comment and the number of comments that followed but also the lack of comments from the company at the beginning of the protest movement. Unlike many brands and gyms, CrossFit did not officially express its support for the protesters.

Following the publication of a phrase from his personal account on June 7, which caused general outrage, Glassman later apologized on the official CrossFit Twitter page.