CrossFit Games Releases Statement On Thursday's Tragic Death
CrossFit Two Day Competition Event at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale. Men and women - amateur and professional compete in $10,000 cash and prizes. (Photo by Michele Eve Sandberg/Corbis via Getty Images)
The sports world is reeling after an unfortunate tragedy struck the CrossFit Games this week in Texas.
Serbian competitor Lazar Dukic drowned as lifeguards were too far away to assist him, eventually pulling his body from Marine Creek Lake in Fort Worth.
After Dukic's death, the CrossFit Games released a statement on social media.
The event says that it is cooperating with authorities and doing what it can to support Dukic's family. Thursday was the first day of the event, and all further competitions have been suspended out of respect for the deceased.
"The wellbeing of our competitors is our first priority and we are heartbroken by this tragic event," said the statement.
"There's a lot of people in the community that are hurting right now, that are really sad, that knew the athlete well, that loved, respected this person," said CrossFit CEO Don Faul.
Dukic died during an event that included a 3.5 mile run and an 800 meter swim. Safety personnel were on hand during the event, but they were too far away from Dukic during his time of distress to offer adequate assistance.
Event organizers will regroup on Thursday in order to determine how the rest of the Games should go, but the focus will surely be on keeping other athletes who compete safe when the CrossFit Games eventually resume.
Thirty teams from around the world are competing in the event, and it is being held in the state of Texas for the first time in its history. The last six years saw the Games held in Madison, Wisconsin.
Organizers made the adjustment to hold many of the events indoors this year, due to the excessive heat in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
