CrossFit Reveals Massive Changes to the 2020 Reebok CrossFit Games
The 2020 Reebok CrossFit Games will look drastically different from past competitions.
The organization announced Friday that the event will be divided into two stages. The first stage is an online competition in the home countries of the athletes — 16 countries total with 60 athletes — with the the top five men and five women advancing. The second stage will feature those 10 athletes who advanced competing in an in-person finals in California.
“This innovative format will help us protect the safety of our athletes while delivering a world-class Games experience to identify the world’s fittest individuals,” CrossFit CEO Eric Roza said in a statement.
CrossFit further broke down the competition format for 2020, which includes the group of 30 men and 30 women competing from their homes or local gyms for the first stage. Also, the first stage will determine the top five men and women who will be invited to compete in the finals as well as the final placements and the prize money for those placed six place to 30.
The organization stated the first stage will take place in September and there will be a gap of four or five weeks before the in-person finals will take place. The first stage dates are still being determined. Also, CrossFit confirmed that the second round will be performed “under strict safety protocols.”
The events will be streamed on the CrossFit Games site and the athletes will be judged in person by a member of the CrossFit Seminar Staff.
“The world is dealing with an unprecedented crisis. After extensive discussions with athletes and public health officials, we decided that this format was the best way to preserve the spirit and substance of the Games and ensure athletes can compete for the title of Fittest on Earth in a safe and fair manner,” CrossFit director of sport Dave Castro said in a statement.
Although the news of the Games moving forward is positive news for the sport, the year has been a rollercoaster one for CrossFit. In late June, CrossFit announced it has a new CEO and owner in Roza, who founded CrossFit Sanitas in Boulder, Colo. The move came weeks after former CEO Greg Glassman resigned after receiving backlash from an insensitive comment he on Twitter regarding the late George Floyd.