It's great to hear from Brent and Tim... I agree. This was avoidable. There was time to do something for Lazar! Unfortunately, we will never know... I don't agree with people who keep saying to not speculate... we're not speculating. We saw what happened live, and what happened was gross negligence and a failure from the organisation to keep their athletes safe.
yeah but how many times have you screwed something up and looked back and said: "that was totally avoidable" dont say never because i wont believe you. hindsight 20/20. we call them mistakes or accidents for a reason...because they were not intentional. i would refrain from speculating simply because it is clearly coming from emotion...just let the investigators do the work. there will be judgement. how would you feel if you screw up something, you feel bad, and then all of your friends start rubbing it in your face? wouldnt feel good. bet you wouldnt like it. and that would be hypocrisy.
on top of that, i guarantee you, just like all the other "speculators" and "overnight expert investigators," did not speak one word about safety before this took place....and thats why nobody really wants to hear you speculate.
Thank you for posting this. As a fan, it was hard to watch. But getting to see all my favourite athletes do what they felt was best to celebrate and remember Lazar. Made my heart feel better. RIP Lazar I will miss seeing your smiling face on the floor.
I feel tacky for saying this because this is a wonderful video and it’s very well done, but there are a few people who I genuinely don’t know who they are and I would like to know. Again beautiful video. I appreciate it I’m just a little lost on who some of the people are. Please please don’t come for me.
That’s actually great feedback, thank you! Next time we do a video like this we’ll definitely add name titles. In the coming days each person in this video will have their entire video released with their name, I hope that helps!
Thank you so much for putting this together, and for the hard work you all do in the midst of grief and pain. The fact that so many athletes and coaches are willing to open up and spoke with your team in such an honest and vulnerable way over the weekend speaks volume about the professionalism of your team, as well as the trust you are able to build with the CrossFit community. Thank you for gathering truth and sharing them with us in such a mindful and respectful way.
30:39 this question was hard to ask and even harder to answer. Lauren, you handled it with such grace. Brent, you started the PFAA with the best intentions. You have NO blame in this. Keep your head up. Keep fighting the good fight, but remember to take care of yourself. ❤❤❤️
Thank you. For this and all your coverage so far. And for being honest with your feelings too. This is not time for “journalist neutrality” (if such a thing exists). I do wish you were able to ask more uncomfortable questions, not of the athletes who just need to be given space to express what ever they need to express. But of some of the experts etc. I get it, your hands are somewhat tied!! But I think demanding, agitating and protesting for true transparency means pushing when it’s uncomfortable.
I’ve been around CF since 2009 and there’s a ton to f great things that have come from HQ, at the same time they have historically displayed an attitude of arrogance and an unwillingness to accept feedback on just about everything. They’ve publicly attacked posts on the old chat boards, social media, brought litigation, made comments on videos and the list goes on. I personally have a pessimistic outlook on positive change but if it happens I would be pleasantly surprised. If you want the sport to be taken seriously then they need to start taking it seriously.
Crossfit should have made the whole event about Lazar. No podium. No winners and all the $$$$$ given to Lazar's family. That would have been the right thing to do. There were NO WINNERS at this year's game.
Amazing video. Thank you for your continued coverage. I have been reading some comments (on other platforms) about potential perceived pressure from sponsors. Any chance sponsors would share their perspective with TEF?
The trust between the athletes and CFHQ/Games was tenuous at best before Lazar died, it is now broken. For the trust to come back, major changes in how the organization operates are needed. Time will tell, as will how CFHQ/Games management responds. The PFAA hopefully will drive athlete protection to where it needs to be.
Hope his death is a wake up call to make significant changes. Unfortunately, it had to come To point for this game to step up. Safety first!! Just shameful And terribly sad how this happened. RIP, Lazar.
We live in an era where we are inundated with performative outrage on a daily basis. People are "cancelled" and pushed out of their positions for expressing unpopular opinions or beliefs. In my opinion, one of the most positive things that could come from this horrific travesty is for this community to come together to channel very warranted anger and outrage to push for leadership changes. THIS is the kind of senselessness that warrants such collective action and demands for accountability are justified. RIP, Lazar.
Serious question- Why didn’t any of the athletes and coaches not think about life guards , buoys, warm water, they just trusted CrossFit and that’s it? I hope the athletes and coaches at any event be it Rogue, Wodapalooza, etc. think critically over every possible unsafe situation this includes affiliates and coaches. Talk about how to bail out of a snatch, bench press, jumping rope on a slippery surface. Check equipment often to make sure it is not broken. Have an aed , cpr, first aid kit. Be prepared and have a questioning attitude. Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that can cause groups to make irrational or dysfunctional decisions when the desire for harmony or conformity takes precedence over critical thinking. It can lead to poor decision-making and inefficient problem-solving.
CFHQ forcing the hands of athletes to continue with the comp was egregious. But what would you expect from the same lenient org that created the circumstances that led to Lazar's death?
When you realize that CFHQ was grossly negligent, how do you continue the event? Many of us stopped watching. Continuing is like saying it’s okay CFHQ.
What if CF did e/thing right? What if all the appropriate safe guards were in place? Then what? Let's wait to see what the investigation shows before we speculate. If things change the way athletes claim they want things to change, then Pat Vellner would have been pulled from the games when he fell from the net, I am sure other athletes would have been w/drawn as well. Athletes will keep mum about their injuries, their shortcomings. Do we have to get clearance from athletes doctors to participate? It is a slippery slope. I think the gal on the paddle board got distracted when spectator got in water. If they hired who they thought was hired.. but find out she was not good at her job, who is to blame? So convoluted, so many parts to consider. Most likely room for improvement, but w/ e/thing, will at the same time place restrictions on the games and athletes. Maybe that is what is needed. Who knows.
"Significant Changes" requested... What are these changes you (those athletes) looking for specifically? If you can't come out with this list transparently, then you're part of the problem. Never satisfied.
Im lost. Someone help me understand. So for years and years and years and incident after incident after incident the community approaches CFHQ about it's poor dealings, and year after year and incident after incident nothing happens, why do you guys still continue to support this brand year after year and incident after incident. And don't say "CrossFit promised to bury the hatchet". It's exactly like them saying "we promise to never punch you in the face again". Then next year what happens? You're all surprised when you get punched in the face? So confusing. Just stop supporting the brand. If you're not going to stop supporting CrossFit, then stop complaining about how they mishandle things.
I’m so impressed with Brent’s leadership. All the love and support to him and the other athletes in the coming weeks, months, years. ❤
This is great journalism. Thank you. Brent is also so great at explaining things.
Brent needs to do his own CrossFit games by creating a safe environment for the athletes.
It's great to hear from Brent and Tim... I agree. This was avoidable. There was time to do something for Lazar! Unfortunately, we will never know...
I don't agree with people who keep saying to not speculate... we're not speculating. We saw what happened live, and what happened was gross negligence and a failure from the organisation to keep their athletes safe.
yeah but how many times have you screwed something up and looked back and said: "that was totally avoidable"
dont say never because i wont believe you. hindsight 20/20. we call them mistakes or accidents for a reason...because they were not intentional.
i would refrain from speculating simply because it is clearly coming from emotion...just let the investigators do the work. there will be judgement. how would you feel if you screw up something, you feel bad, and then all of your friends start rubbing it in your face?
wouldnt feel good. bet you wouldnt like it. and that would be hypocrisy.
on top of that, i guarantee you, just like all the other "speculators" and "overnight expert investigators," did not speak one word about safety before this took place....and thats why nobody really wants to hear you speculate.
Thank you for doing this. Seeing other shows doing post games analysis like everything was business as usual is so bizarre.
Thank you for posting this. As a fan, it was hard to watch. But getting to see all my favourite athletes do what they felt was best to celebrate and remember Lazar. Made my heart feel better. RIP Lazar I will miss seeing your smiling face on the floor.
Same here.
Mitch Letendre 👏👏👏
Thank you for doing this. Loved hearing Brent’s perspective❤
I feel tacky for saying this because this is a wonderful video and it’s very well done, but there are a few people who I genuinely don’t know who they are and I would like to know. Again beautiful video. I appreciate it I’m just a little lost on who some of the people are. Please please don’t come for me.
That’s actually great feedback, thank you! Next time we do a video like this we’ll definitely add name titles. In the coming days each person in this video will have their entire video released with their name, I hope that helps!
Brent Fikowski, Cole Sager, Michelle Letendre (es Games Athlete now Coach of many athletes), Don‘t know, Matt Fraser’s Coach, …
I agree. I thought the same thing. It was a great video and look forward to seeing more.
I had the same, so good feedback inderdaad.
* indeed
Thank you so much for putting this together, and for the hard work you all do in the midst of grief and pain. The fact that so many athletes and coaches are willing to open up and spoke with your team in such an honest and vulnerable way over the weekend speaks volume about the professionalism of your team, as well as the trust you are able to build with the CrossFit community. Thank you for gathering truth and sharing them with us in such a mindful and respectful way.
30:39 this question was hard to ask and even harder to answer. Lauren, you handled it with such grace. Brent, you started the PFAA with the best intentions. You have NO blame in this. Keep your head up. Keep fighting the good fight, but remember to take care of yourself. ❤❤❤️
Great video, when When Brent Fikowski & Pat Vellner talk it's time to listen.
Lazar was very kind and respectful person.
Thank you. For this and all your coverage so far. And for being honest with your feelings too. This is not time for “journalist neutrality” (if such a thing exists).
I do wish you were able to ask more uncomfortable questions, not of the athletes who just need to be given space to express what ever they need to express. But of some of the experts etc. I get it, your hands are somewhat tied!!
But I think demanding, agitating and protesting for true transparency means pushing when it’s uncomfortable.
I’ve been around CF since 2009 and there’s a ton to f great things that have come from HQ, at the same time they have historically displayed an attitude of arrogance and an unwillingness to accept feedback on just about everything. They’ve publicly attacked posts on the old chat boards, social media, brought litigation, made comments on videos and the list goes on. I personally have a pessimistic outlook on positive change but if it happens I would be pleasantly surprised. If you want the sport to be taken seriously then they need to start taking it seriously.
Athletes need to step up and put pressure on CrossFit hq to make changes. RIP Lazar, may his death not be in vain.
Crossfit should have made the whole event about Lazar. No podium. No winners and all the $$$$$ given to Lazar's family. That would have been the right thing to do. There were NO WINNERS at this year's game.
Absolutely
Amazing video. Thank you for your continued coverage. I have been reading some comments (on other platforms) about potential perceived pressure from sponsors. Any chance sponsors would share their perspective with TEF?
The trust between the athletes and CFHQ/Games was tenuous at best before Lazar died, it is now broken. For the trust to come back, major changes in how the organization operates are needed. Time will tell, as will how CFHQ/Games management responds. The PFAA hopefully will drive athlete protection to where it needs to be.
❤ thank you TEF
Our true champion ❤
Excellent video
i appreciate this
Can you guys bounce a version of this with the audio balanced in mono?
TH-cam, where the fuck were you Sunday?
Hope his death is a wake up call to make significant changes. Unfortunately, it had to come
To point for this game to step up. Safety first!! Just shameful
And terribly sad how this happened. RIP, Lazar.
🖤
We live in an era where we are inundated with performative outrage on a daily basis. People are "cancelled" and pushed out of their positions for expressing unpopular opinions or beliefs. In my opinion, one of the most positive things that could come from this horrific travesty is for this community to come together to channel very warranted anger and outrage to push for leadership changes. THIS is the kind of senselessness that warrants such collective action and demands for accountability are justified. RIP, Lazar.
Great video.
Could someone please tell me the name of the athlete with the bald head and the man with the long red hair and beard?
Thank you
Cole Sager tim Paulson
@@vdub351thank you
😢❤
Serious question-
Why didn’t any of the athletes and coaches not think about life guards , buoys, warm water, they just trusted CrossFit and that’s it?
I hope the athletes and coaches at any event be it Rogue, Wodapalooza, etc. think critically over every possible unsafe situation this includes affiliates and coaches. Talk about how to bail out of a snatch, bench press, jumping rope on a slippery surface. Check equipment often to make sure it is not broken. Have an aed , cpr, first aid kit. Be prepared and have a questioning attitude.
Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that can cause groups to make irrational or dysfunctional decisions when the desire for harmony or conformity takes precedence over critical thinking. It can lead to poor decision-making and inefficient problem-solving.
CFHQ forcing the hands of athletes to continue with the comp was egregious. But what would you expect from the same lenient org that created the circumstances that led to Lazar's death?
Nobody was forced
You might need to listen because what you are saying is completely untrue on both points.
😢
Get rid of Don Faul, replace with Mike Burgener.
Get rid of Dave Castro already, replace with Henry Rojas
Watch the sport come alive
💔
When you realize that CFHQ was grossly negligent, how do you continue the event? Many of us stopped watching. Continuing is like saying it’s okay CFHQ.
Nobody at HQ said it’s ok.
What if CF did e/thing right? What if all the appropriate safe guards were in place? Then what? Let's wait to see what the investigation shows before we speculate. If things change the way athletes claim they want things to change, then Pat Vellner would have been pulled from the games when he fell from the net, I am sure other athletes would have been w/drawn as well. Athletes will keep mum about their injuries, their shortcomings. Do we have to get clearance from athletes doctors to participate? It is a slippery slope. I think the gal on the paddle board got distracted when spectator got in water. If they hired who they thought was hired.. but find out she was not good at her job, who is to blame? So convoluted, so many parts to consider. Most likely room for improvement, but w/ e/thing, will at the same time place restrictions on the games and athletes. Maybe that is what is needed. Who knows.
Heartbraking
TLDR?
CROSSFIT DONT CARE ABOUT YOU! LET THE SPORTS DIE!
Then why are you here commenting if you don’t care about the sport and think they don’t care.
"Significant Changes" requested... What are these changes you (those athletes) looking for specifically?
If you can't come out with this list transparently, then you're part of the problem. Never satisfied.
Bro
Im lost. Someone help me understand. So for years and years and years and incident after incident after incident the community approaches CFHQ about it's poor dealings, and year after year and incident after incident nothing happens, why do you guys still continue to support this brand year after year and incident after incident. And don't say "CrossFit promised to bury the hatchet". It's exactly like them saying "we promise to never punch you in the face again". Then next year what happens? You're all surprised when you get punched in the face? So confusing. Just stop supporting the brand. If you're not going to stop supporting CrossFit, then stop complaining about how they mishandle things.