Founder Greg Glassman sells CrossFit in aftermath of racism backlash

Two weeks after announcing his retirement from the business following fierce backlash for a tweet relating to the murder of George Floyd, CrossFit founder Greg Glassman has sold the company.

Glassman is selling the privately-held company to Eric Roza, described in some reports as a ‘tech entrepreneur’ and the owner of a CrossFit franchise in the US state of Colorado.

Roza will also become CrossFit's Chief Executive, taking over from Dave Castro, who took on the role from Glassman after he stepped down earlier this month from the business that he launched in 2000.

Glassman - the sole owner of CrossFit - stepped down as Chief Executive on 8th June, following a reaction to comments he made on social media about the killing of African-American George Floyd by police in the USA.

His commented led a number of partner companies, gyms, elite athletes and sportswear brands (including Reebok) to cut ties with the business.

As well as his comments over George Floyd, a subsequent article in The New York Times accused Glassman of sexual harassment of female employees, putting further pressure on his position.

In a statement on the acquisition, Roza, a former Chief Executive of data for Datalogix and Chair of TrueCoach, a software company for personal trainers, advised that he would be "working hard to rebuild bridges".

The statement added “in the past weeks, divisive statements and allegations have left many members of our community struggling to reconcile our transformative experiences in the local box with what we’ve been reading online.

"My view is simple: Racism and sexism are abhorrent and will not be tolerated in CrossFit. We open our arms to everyone, and I will be working hard to rebuild bridges with those whose trust we have lost.

"I come to you with deep humility and the realisation that we have hard work to do. I am committed to listening, I am committed to learning, and I am committed to leading positive change. Most of all, I am committed to CrossFit and to you, as a member of our community.

"If you are committed to the future of CrossFit and have ideas, I want to hear from you. And if you loved CrossFit, and we lost you along the way, I want to regain your trust and partnership."

Glassman founded the company two decades ago, and it has since grown into one of the world's most recognisable fitness brands.

In a statement on the sale on Twitter on Wednesday, Glassman explained “it did so well and became so popular that it has become a thing far larger than I could have hoped.

"The world has changed, but the magnificent human machine, the proven benefits of CrossFit, and its market opportunity remain unchanged. It is time for the founder to bid adieu and find other creative outlets."

The financial terms of the sale, expected to be completed next month, have not been disclosed.

Images: CrossFit was launched in 2000 and has since grown to encompass 14,000 affiliate gyms worldwide (top, courtesy of Crossfit), Greg Glassman (middle) and Eric Roza (below).