Questions for Eric Roza and CrossFit, Inc.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
— Margaret Mead

Let me start by acknowledging what got us to this point. This couldn’t have happened without the steps taken from everybody in the CrossFit community who stood for what was RIGHT and not what was easy. Every single athlete, gym owner, company, mom, dad, brother, or sister who stepped forward and denounced the toxic issues that laid untouched at the core of CrossFit HQ. Change occured because we stepped up and took things into our own hands.

Now that CrossFit, Inc. has sold*, it doesn’t end here. Whether you intend to represent CrossFit again, wait it out, or stand your ground away from CrossFit, the thing that remains certain is that there is more to be done. Here are questions that we should continue to demand answers from, and continue to see if this is something that will change a culture from the top down.

  1. What will be the first tangible steps/actions that will be done to promote diversity and equality at the top?
    In my opinion, the most important question given the gravity of the initial incidents that occurred that got us to this point. I do not have the answers, but to see more inclusion, diversity, and equal/fair treatment of minorities and women is the getting to the core issues.

  2. What will be the first tangible steps/actions that will be done to support the affiliates?

    Selfishly, I’d like to see whats the next steps to support the affiliates from the ground level. Again, I’m not one with solutions, but to see more efforts towards the people that are spreading the methodology would be awesome.

  3. Will there be an unbiased board of members that will work with Eric to make decisions*?
    I think this is extremely important and underrated. Eric seems like a very accomplished business person and as a plus has also been in the space for 10+ years. However, we got here without checks and balances. He knows better than anyone that having a board allows companies to grow and flourish. There needs to be more minds that are unbiased and unattached to CrossFit that will allow the company to trend up and create sustainability.

  4. How will CFHQ separate the affiliate structure and business from the sport of CrossFit?
    This is important to me because I coach athletes that compete and my fiancee is involved professionally in the sport, and I know that there is a cohort of athletes past, present, and future that want to know what will happen with this. Just like the company, this sport needs to evolve with a governing body, checks and balances, and clear communication in order to have sustainability. As exciting as it is to be “unknown and unknowable”, we all know that is just not realistic if you want to go far.

These are short and honest questions that I feel are important to address in order to continue in the right direction. I’d love to hear your feedback and hope to see bigger things come out of these changes.

*CrossFit, Inc. is privately owned, thus we may never know the details of the sale (what was actually sold, how much of it was sold, etc.). This is why it is EXTREMELY important we keep pushing forward for change and not settle for lip service.

Frank Nguyen