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Home » Fitness » Gyms and fitness facilities cut ties with CrossFit – WMTV

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV/AP) -- The YMCA of Dane Co. is now the latest in more than a thousand fitness facilities to sever links with the CrossFit organization following its now-former CEOs tweet about George Floyd that sparked a social media backlash.

With so many folks of all races and backgrounds standing together in support of justice and equity around the world, I was especially disheartened to see the divisive comments of CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman, YMCA Presdient/CEO Mark Westover said.

Westover said they are dropping their relationship with the CrossFit immediately. So far, around 1,250 gyms have ended their affiliations and Reebok cut its ties with the exercise brand.

The YMCA doesnt plan to end its scalable strength and conditioning program altogether, though. The organization said it will move forward with it under the Four Core Community Fitness name. Nothing else is expected to change.

Scott Shoemaker, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, told NBC15 the person who runs the YMCA's strength and conditioning program is African-American, and the YMCA wanted to support him and members of color.

Glassman said in a statement posted on CrossFit Inc.'s website late Tuesday that he decided to retire. In light of his leaving the company, Westover added that there is a chance the YMCA will partner with the company down the road, but said it needs to see an established pattern of change in the organization before making that consideration.

Other Madison gyms are also taking action and ending their relationship with CrossFit.

"The words of Greg Glassman were powerful and hurtful," said Nikole Gessler, owner and founder of CrossFit Recursive.

CrossFit Recursive announced Monday the gym would end its affiliation with CrossFit.

"We just felt like we needed to make sure to take a stand on this," Gessler explained, adding, "Distancing ourself from the CrossFit name and finding ways to be better in the community."

Gessler explained she has worked to make her gym inclusive for everyone, especially for the LGBTQ members.

"Getting rid of mens and women's things, we've had a lot of transgender athletes," she described.

However, Gessler felt she could do more for members of color.

"We haven't always done everything we can do to support people of color and other minorities," she said. "It's just important for our family to make a difference and stand up and try for some real change finally."

Now, Gessler is rebranding her gym as Recursive Fitness and Nutrition. To legally end the affiliation with CrossFit, she has to remove anything connected to the brand, including all logos and signs, and rename the website and social media accounts.

Other CrossFit gyms are taking action. . CrossFit Big Dane said Monday it would also end its affiliation if Glassman did not step down.

NBC15 reached out to CrossFit Big Dane Wednesday to find out if the gym reached a final decision after Glassman's resignation, but did not hear back.

Glassman had angered many with his glib response to a tweet by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, a health research group, which said, "Racism is a public health issue."

"It's FLOYD-19," he replied on Saturday, and in a second tweet criticized the group's "failed" quarantine model and accused it of attempting to "model a solution to racism

Floyd died while handcuffed after a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes. His death set off protests around the U.S. and the globe.

The Associated Press contributed to this article

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Gyms and fitness facilities cut ties with CrossFit - WMTV

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Home » Fitness » Gyms and fitness facilities cut ties with CrossFit – WMTV