I am not a CrossFit member, nor am I military or ex military, but I am a friend and a good listener. Many of my CrossFitting gay friends are livid that one of the prizes for the winners of the CrossFit Games this year is a GLOCK pistol. Yes, an international fitness competition hosted here in the United States has decided to give away a gun. Go 'Merika! What else would you give some of the fittest, healthiest people in the world.
"The top male athlete, the Top female athlete, and every member of the winning team will receive a GLOCK pistol." —Dave Castro, Director of the CrossFit Games – CrossFit Facebook Page
The CrossFit season ends at the StubHub Center in Carson, California on July 19 – 24, 2016. The world's fittest 40 men, 40 women, 40 teams, 40 teenagers, and 200 masters will attend from all over the world. I am sure all of these participants are looking forward to winning a GLOCK.
Who does participate in CrossFit? Maybe they all need a gun. David Castro is, along with CrossFit founder Greg Glassman, the most recognized face of CrossFit Headquarters. Beginning his CrossFit career as an intern in the original Santa Cruz gym in California while working as a Navy SEAL in Monterey, he’s now co-director of training and the Games director for CrossFit (theboxmag.com).
Dave, what is your background?
"I graduated from high school in 1996 and shortly after starting college dropped out and enlisted in the Navy. I went straight into the pipeline for becoming a SEAL and graduated in 98, class 215. I then spent the next 12.5 years at various SEAL Teams and spent the last 3 of those years as a BUD/S instructor. – paleofoundation.com interview 9/14/2013
Maybe this explains the presentations of GLOCKs to the winners? There is a "military" presence in CrossFit, that is undeniable, very noticeable, and it is welcomed by many.
Hero WODs: Named after military servicemen, police, or firefighters who have died in the line of duty, these difficult workouts are intermittently programmed in CrossFit to provide an extra challenge and reminder of their sacrifice. – greatist.com
But is the giving away of guns to all the winners the presence or correlation we desire? Apparently other sponsors don't mind. The 2016 Reebok CrossFit Games will be streamed online to YouTube and WatchESPN, and 10 hours of competition will be broadcast to ESPN networks. Have they responded to the chosen prize? Oh wait, Disney owns ESPN. It's good that Disney is supporting the giving away guns as a reward for being fit. Reebok? Many in the know believe that CrossFit resurrected / rebuilt Reebok from the dead so for the fitness clothing company to go against Castro and Co., it may not be a good thing for its future. Apparently StubHub Center doesn't have a no gun carry policy? Thanks StubHub!
Where are sports announcers? After the moving beginning of the ESPY's and Zaevion Dobson's mother's moving speech as she accepted the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for her son, the sports world truly needs to use its power and influence and speak up.
She was speaking to the athletes, but there were anchors and other celebrities in that room that night.
The Facebook responses on CrossFit Games page have been from both sides of the debate. Here are two that believe the gun prize is not the smartest move.
Dear Crossfit Team,
I am reading this in Germany… I came to love Crossfit as the ultimate sport to improve your fitness and yourself. I am really looking forward to watch the Crossfit games. I understand that it is marketed as the Crossfit World Championship. So the outcome does not only concern the USA but the whole world.
I will enjoy the games because it is about finding the fittest on earth in a incredibly fair environment. At what other sport do you see the finisher going back to the others who are still competing and cheer for them?
By advertising for weapons in the context of the Crossfit games you gave this very shiny and compelling image a huge crack.
Dear Crossfit Team,
What do you want to stand for? What is your vision?
Do you want to guide people into living a healthier life? Or do you want to create soldiers?
If it is the latter I can promise you that you will lose a growing fan base in Europe.
If common sense is not enough, please consider the commercial side as well.
I will ask my contacts at Adidas / Reebok headquarter here in Herzogenaurach if this is something that Reebok wants to stand for.Best Regards
Loving the use of 'unamerican' on this thread as a put down. A lot of people on here are un american….as in not from America. Crossfit is a global brand now, and gun ads on the Facebook page are a bit of a shock for people who are not exposed to that all the time. I've no personal objection to guns in America cause you lot clearly have your own issues there and don't need us (the idiots who just voted out of the eu, we have our own issues) to get involved….but for international athletes what's the point in winning a gun you can't take home? Why give away a weapon as a prize? I don't get it but hey I'll never be in the situation to worry about winning one haha!
Should we just STFU about this? If you don't like it, don't watch? If you think the prize is crazy, don't participate? Cancel your CrossFit membership? Do a sit in at your local box? Or just post your comments to Facebook?
Don't CrossFit members thrive at conquering a challenge? Well, here's your challenge. If you don't like it, change it.
For more info on the CrossFit Games and championship, here's a 29 minute video on The Test of Fitness
I really do not understand
I really do not understand the problem. Are shooting sports bad? The Olympics hosts 15 shooting events, 16 if you include biathlons'. Are you against biathlons'? Do you believe that fitness is at odds with firearms ownership? What is the problem with a handgun as a prize for law abiding citizens? The winners must be able to pass an FBI background check to transfer ownership. I also suspect that the participants could accept cash in lieu of prize.
This whole article appears to be a hit piece, showing extreme prejudice. It also somehow attempts to tie sexual preference to crossfit, when sexual preference is not something intrinsically associated with this sport.
Are shooting sports bad?Â
Are shooting sports bad? Good fucking lord. You missed the whole point, Charlie.
If the Crossfit games was a shooting competition, then I would understand giving a gun away. Like your examples of Olympic shooting events, "16, if you include biathlon," then yes, a gun may be a great prize. For a fitness competition? It's a moronic prize!!!!!
A handgun is a problem as a prize for law abiding citizens because not all of them are citizens of the United States. Do you have background checks for all the winners? Do you help them get the gun back to their country, even though the gun may be outlawed in their country. Do you give them to the teen winner? Why not? It's a fucking prize. You get a gun, you get a gun, and you get a gun.
I'm not sure how this blog entry was a "hit piece" showing extreme prejudice. Prejudice against what? I did not tie sexual preference into CrossFit, but mentioned I had gay friends and CrossFit box owners that are not too happy that GLOCK is a prize for winners. I was notified of this moronic reward by them. Does that make this whole article tied to sexual preference because gay friends told me about the prize? Wow. Read it again Charlie.
If we give guns away for a fitness prize, when our nation is dealing with a massive gun violence issue, why don't we give GLOCKs away for a spelling bee. The kids will be old enough eventually. Why don't we give guns to the NBA final winners. They are so deserving. What about if you get any medal for the United States, you get a GLOCK. It's an awful choice for a prize. If you can't see that, you may be part of the problem.