Eyewitnesses speak out after athlete drowns during Crossfit Games

[@RogueCylon]

They didn’t have the usual safety support. Cost savings on CrossFit side. Did you see divers and paramedics supporting? The “lifeguards” were volunteers. He was in distress way before the drowning. Taking his cap off, changing his strokes. No one checked on him, and ultimately no one supported him. This was pure negligence.

[@namastemcl]

You are 100% correct. I have done paddle board safety support for Ironman MD for years and despite have over 2k athletes in the water we have never had a drowning. However we are well trained to look for signs of distress…it’s not like it’s portrayed in TV and movies. CrossFit is culpable and his family should take legal action.

[@RogueCylon]

@@namastemcl I saw distress for at least five minutes there, the commentators just saw it as humorous that he was changing strokes having taken his cap off. Thank you for adding your Ironman support perspective, trained staff save lives. People train in pools and think that lakes, rivers and sea will be similar. I used to swim at a high level and scuba dive, I respected the heck out of lakes and ocean, as I knew what riptides and current do on any given day due to the weather.

[@Charles-wz9sd]

@@namastemclDon’t forgot that it’s swim safety support on top of the professional lifeguards that are already there as well. In total when I volunteered it was about 1 person about every 50m of water.

[@RogueCylon]

@chillwill5080 in events like this there is a care of duty, an expectation that safety measures will be provided to avoided death and severe injury. This was in terms of negligence a breach of duty.

[@louisehicks3285]

Exactly! I'm a longtime lifeguard and this was triggering to watch. Legitimate lifeguards would never stand on paddle boards oblivious. And of all the activities that need proper water safety is a Crossfit game

[@namastemcl]

I have done several paddlboard safety events for Ironman MD. Those people on the boards clearly were not trained to recognize signs of drowning. When we are out on the water we are literally a few feet from the athletes at all times. We go through extensive training to respond in seconds. There also did not appear to be any powered watercraft out there either. This a tragedy that should not have happened.

[@thereason2258]

Lifeguards not paying attention or unqualified. No jet skis, boats, safety crew within feet of swimmers following closely. Easily was avoidable.

[@aristotlekumpis7095]

The swim should be first. No question about it. It's sad.

[@bijalpanwala]

It was not a 3.5hr run it was a 3.5 mile run.

[@AJXOXO-vz1pn]

That’s enough time to get leg cramps.

[@highertest]

@@AJXOXO-vz1pn No good swimmer is going to die if they get a leg cramp. The guy probably had a heart attack from the insane amount of roids these ppl take.

[@AJXOXO-vz1pn]

@@highertest you only have to pay entry fee to do the race. There is no good swimmer requirement to qualify for CrossFit.

[@mrsensei8878]

​@AJXOXO-vz1pn He played waterpolo, that guy wasnt a rookie in swimming.

[@AJXOXO-vz1pn]

@@mrsensei8878 so, are you saying that former water polo swimmers can’t get cramps or have other impromptu medical issues? What’s the amount of running that is allowable before we let the athletes swim a few miles in a lake?

[@altolove98]

2 lifeguards for 79 people in open water. That’s not a safety protocol,It’s a tragedy that could have been avoided

[@xDx4444]

They were 20-30 meters away, yet they didn't even try to help him.

[@sharroon7574]

They were there for decoration only.

[@Siamotutti161]

For those in the comments: as a person who has lifeguard training, you can't possibly blaim the other athletes. It is very very unlikely that during a competition you would recognise the signs of drowning unless it happens right in front of you. Drowning is not loud as shown in movies, drowning more often than not hopes silently because the person that is fighting for their life can't really scream for help (trying to catch a breath, water in the lungs, exhaustion etc etc). However traind lifeguard should be able to recognise the singing form someone struggling and intervene ahead of time especially in open waters where you have very little chance to find someone in time once they are under water. However I will also not blame the lifeguards on standby because they were very clearly understaffed. I blame CrossFit. First and foremost for programming a swim AFTER a run, which is in itself something no other sport does for those exact reasons (triathlon for example puts swimming first because of the greatest riskt, and running last for the smalest risk), secondly for not having enough staff, for not providing the apropriat swimming cap...

[@hirokomlm131]

You blamed everyone except for the swimmer himself. Swimming 800 meters in open water comes with risks, and he chose to take those risks.

[@danlowe]

I've had to make two rescues with lifeguards present. Once at a pool, once in the ocean and in neither case did anyone alert the lifeguard on duty nor did anyone notice. The one in the ocean there was even another exhausted kid swimming into shore who didn't bother to grab help while I went after his friend. My friends just made fun of me like I was being a busy body

[@barelyreal1]

I would blame the lifeguards for sure. They were less than 10 meters from where he drowned and didn't even try to help.

[@NotSteve88]

Please learn to pronounce his first name correctly. Also it wasn’t a 3 1/2 hour run, it was 3.5 miles. Slightly more than a 5K.

[@ivdg46e]

It's ABC you gotta expect mediocrity.

[@bloodlove93]

nah,should've been more american,not out fault he had a weird non american name nobody normal wants to waste time saying ri,not like they'll be talking to him in the future, doofus is dead.

[@Kitty-ps1kr]

This!!!

[@anthonyamann2430]

@@bloodlove93 and you're an absolute ass-hat. Lucky it wasn't someone you knew or loved.

[@stephanetrudel9036]

Mentally ill 🙄🙄​@@bloodlove93

[@ishitrealbad3039]

you guys forgot to mention that it took them more than 3hrs for them to send a search and rescue team, and how the life guard told onlookers that they were wrong and nobody drowned.

[@rosieo5481]

There’s a reason the swim is always first in triathlons. The safety plan had 2 guards on SUPs (horrible idea) within 50 ft of the man that drowned because they didn’t recognize a distressed swimmer. Also the ratio of guards to swimmers was TERRIBLE. I hope his family takes legal action. Many prayers to them as losing their family member was completely avoidable.

[@namastemcl]

@@rosieo5481 in Ironman rescue I have my paddle board within a few feet from the swimmers. It’s incredibly challenging but we have never had a person drown at Ironman MD.

[@rosieo5481]

@@namastemclthat’s good news! Question, how many guards to swimmers? What’s the plan if you have to do compressions? When I was an aquatics Director at YMCA that had an outdoor camp with a lake we had swimming platforms.

[@namastemcl]

@@rosieo5481 The Ironman rescue team includes paddleboards and kayaks that are closest to the swimmers ( within a few feet) There are also Jet skis and powered boats that surround the perimeter. If a kayak or boarder identifies a swimmer in distress we go to them and have them hold onto the board or kayak. If the swimmer cannot continue, we flag the Jet ski that transports the swimmer to shore. I am certified in CPR but my job is to recognize the signs of distress and to alert additional rescue team members.

[@charlesbarkely3021]

They're gonna get sued into oblivion for not having adequate/competent lifeguards

[@charlesbarkely3021]

@@Elk300 I figured, but idk is gross negligence covered by a waiver? I'm sure the State AG didn't sign a waiver they could receive criminal penalties/charges without being sued by the deceased's estate

[@andreiunghie]

@@charlesbarkely3021a waiver doesn’t cover the absolute incompetence and lack of health and safety protocols that this organization should have made sure are up to the highest standards.

[@rosieo5481]

@@Elk300if you watch the video there are 2 guards on SUPs right there and they never even recognized he was in distress while spectators and other athletes on the shore did. No waiver is going to cover gross negligence and honestly I hope it bankrupts that company. Athletes have been getting hurt for years with how they program these “games”.

[@charlesbarkely3021]

@chillwill5080 I agree

[@strait-upstraitz5893]

This is a horrible unnecessary comment. Lazar was one of the fittest in the world, as well as a collegiate water polo player. Have a little more consideration for the people that may read this. Like his family. If this was a friend or family member of your own, your comment is not something you would want to read I'm sure. I learned a long time ago, if it's not something I'd want to hear myself, don't say it. Thanks.

[@ensolicz5007]

They failed him.

[@vyepez500]

Crossfit is live at the moment like nothing happened , what a disgusting sport

[@emoo2342]

I’ve been harping, for years-to my peers-on how irreponsible Crossfit is for allowing unqualified people to be in charge of ensuring the safety of their patrons. Whether it was an issue of inadequate qualification and/or poor lifeguard to competitor ratios, Crossfit is still wildly irresponsible and I hope they’re held accountable.

[@Dancinontiktok]

Why didn't anyone get in the water who could swim and go and rescue him if they saw him struggling!

[@chevy4x466]

Duh, they were there to brag about the race to their friends. They didn’t have time to help. In all seriousness, it probably happened fast. These muscle dudes sink like anchors ⚓️. Could have been a cardiac episode. These people get pretty whacky on what they put in their bodies. I am guessing the Texas water was dark too. I didn’t exactly look like they were swimming in Lake Michigan. RIP, I like sports here and there. However, people that push themselves to their physical limits play a dangerous game with their health

[@Dancinontiktok]

@chevy4x466 well obviously they didn't cause the lifeguards couldn't get to him on time.....They had crew searching for his body. When someone spotted him drowning beforehand.

[@RogueCylon]

Cost savings this year. CrossFit had no divers, paramedics or professional support staff there. He took his cap off earlier and started changing strokes, it was evident he was in distress, and no one helped him,

[@Dancinontiktok]

@@RogueCylon 💯 very sad !

[@chevy4x466]

@@RogueCylon wow 😮! They cut back on safety workers? Is there anything left in our culture that is decent? Unfortunately, it is the risk that these extreme athletes expose themselves to. This could have happened to him in training swimming across a lake. These dudes take often take questionable supplements, which they insist r scientifically proven healthy. Not to mention many of these people have done steroids. Throw in the jibby jab, it can be a dangerous cocktail 🍹 for a low body fat athlete

[@krissy0628]

How sad!!! I have tremendous respect for people who compete in these. I was an open water swimmer and I can’t imagine running first then swimming. It’s exhausting - RIP- so so sad prayers to His family

[@annetten.8667]

Amen&Amen!!! Rip 🕯️🌹✝️

[@DAcaveman100]

I agree. The sequence of disciplines is quite baffling, or more accurately: fatal this time. But Crossfit and Bizarre easily fits together in any sentence.

[@highertest]

@@DAcaveman100 Swimruns have been a thing for a long time.

[@robgronkowski947]

they train for this style of programming

[@KansaSCaymanS]

The report also didn’t mention that it was both a hot day, and the water temp I believe was reported as over 85 F, which is above the limit for many open water swim events (which may be why he pulled his cap off). Since he reportedly had experience as a water polo player, I suspect he was a stronger swimmer than many CrossFit athletes, but may have pushed himself during the run, became dehydrated and then started cramping up or became faint while swimming, leading to his demise. If someone collapses on a run in a triathlon, at least they aren’t at risk of drowning and usually will get attention right away. Still inexcusable that the “lifeguard” nearby didn’t recognize a swimmer in distress.

[@cjpockets]

Unfortunate situation which begs the question, with so many people there why was this man not helped in time? God take this man and give his family strength.

[@kinseybruno5920]

The fact that this wasn’t in a pool was obviously deadly. How can they expect these people to do an aquathalon in open water and not put lifeguards in boats? Or have some diver on hand? Reckless. Furthermore in the video I see two “lifeguards” on SUP boards… just completely awful. Did many of these athletes even have experience swimming in open water??? I cannot believe the negligence here

[@anthonyamann2430]

Actually, Lazar has been swimming since the age of 7, was a competitive water polo player for 10 years, swims at least twice a week throughout the year and had done the exact event 2 days prier. I'm not saying that the "lifeguards" didn't epically fail at their job but he was a great swimmer with plenty of experience.

[@DAcaveman100]

The show just MUST go on. To the organisers: your denial meets with ego and ended up in a fatality.

[@theplantprincess]

A friend’s brother died at a very young age during a triathlon a few years ago. He had a heart attack while swimming.

[@saramerrymon4964]

Not a 3 1/2 hour run

[@tomoldinho]

I do believe in actual triathlon, part of the reason the swim is first is to avoid something like this happening.

[@giigity]

This was just sad. And no one noticed him? When will the staff who were to watch the contestants be charged??

[@tammyd7785]

Shame on this happing just absolutely terrible this beautiful young man has lost his life just terrible prayers for him and his family for sure somebody should have been able to save him just shameful

[@Bellatticakes]

If the swim was not the first event there should be some accountability for reckless endangerment and negligence

[@onekewlbraddah8460]

Should of had lifeguards sitting on surfboards and jetski's rookies.

[@McKinleyMacDoran]

Could Crossfit include lifejackets for the next swimming events for the athletes? Safety gear may have helped this swimmer to stay alive. My condolences to the family and RIP to the victim. Drowning and secondary drowning are deadly and should be taken seriously and drowning victims should be taken to the hospital. An autopsy will show what was in the person's system at the time of the drowning incident. Hoping crews still call 911 in the event of drowning even with lifeguards present.

[@justinfitzgerald717]

That report doesn't mention that they didn't find his body for 3 hours?

[@ShanaAlversonFitness]

As a 4x CrossFit athlete I can say it was just a matter of time before this happened.

[@Munted846]

Lol as a 4x CrossFit athlete lolol what a weird flex

[@EruditeM]

I'm like a 2,342x Crossfit athlete

[@loisthompson2877]

If they had life guards they weren’t doing their job there should not have been a drowning my heart goes out to too the young man who lost his life

[@roguephoenix]

what were the lifeguards doing?

[@MoneyMan28]

nothing

[@RobertJohnson-hp4gz]

Sounds to me like the event didn’t have ENOUGH backup. At the Olympics, divers and med professionals literally trail all the athletes to ensure their safety. Did they have like one boat for 100+ guests or something?

[@cindyhornberger8356]

My heart goes out to his loved ones and to the bystander who attempted to help him. The only hero in all of this is the person who attempted to save him, then was turned away. Its pretty pathetic that a bystander can see a distressed swimmer, but the lifeguards (volunteers, I may add) paddled around looking as confused as a chameleon in a bowl of skittles.

[@Mike-cp1tj]

Castro's tremendous programming: Swim after run, snatch for reps for time.. SMH

[@inolagranville7832]

Really? how come the swimmers didn’t go and help him? is a competition that important that you would let somebody die your yelling for help I come you didn’t go out turn around and save the man!!! and all your words I mean really what is words when you had the opportunity to actually save somebody, so words are cheap

[@civilizeddiva]

I also would like to understand better how that man died with people around him. Unhumanly horrific to die with people around you.

[@Siamotutti161]

The thing is most likely the athletes didn't notice. Fist while competing you don't really notice much around you. And secondly one of the first things you lear during lifeguard training is that drowning is silent... Screaming for help is something you see in movies. But a person fighting for air most likely doesn't have the capacity to scream in any meaningful way. However it is shocking that the lifeguard who have the training to notice these exact since didn't at all react. And it is shocking to put the swim after the running...

[@santaloveschocolate]

I don't think that guy was a swimmer, I think he was a spectator. Yelling to the life guards from on land. Would have taken a minute to swim out, I think people did try...

[@javastream5015]

He was the CLOSES PARTICIPANT to the lifeguards !!! How could this happen ???

[@robthomas5827]

Except they weren't lifeguards. They were just untrained dudes on paddleboards.

[@BrianP-t4z]

He sunk so fast, this happened to me once but I was able to propel myself off the bottom and come up for air…I did this all the way to shore because my shoulders locked up in cold water. Wondering how deep it was, he was so close to shore

[@ann-mariechediak1305]

Um....I don't think Crossfit said to "compete hard" in their statement. This is the exact verbiage of the statement that was released "But the only cure for grief is to grieve. And the best way to grieve is together. In our community, coming together to do hard things is how we pay tribute. In this spirit, we have decided to move forward with the 2024 CrossFit Games. " This misrepresentation of Crossfit is not okay. Please quote correctly and not mislead the public.

[@cindyhornberger8356]

There wasn't any rescue boat with experienced divers there until a while after he went under. How is that taking every safety measure possible? That's a pretty bold statement, considering a man died and there were no rescue boats/divers until after he had already drowned. Had divers been there, he would've had a good chance of survival. CrossFit failed him!!!

[@GrimReaper553-f2s]

CrossFit should be sued. They had only 5 guards for about 80 athletes in the water at the time. And people tried to help him but were turned away by lifeguards

[@shakirac2461]

You had a safety plan and people in place but the lifeguard stopped the spectator who jumped in to assist when nothing was being down to help this man who was clearly struggling to keep afloat...and it then took a whole hour to retrieve his body!!!??? Make it make sense! Whoever the people were that were in place were clearly not adequately trained or qualified for the role. The lack of action or delayed action on Crossfit's part is inexcusable!

[@RKJOURNEY1726]

Safety first before in the situation.

[@bloodlove93]

and here i was expecting this from france this year.

[@DingasPro]

This is a huge hit for crossfit in terms of safety concerns. A lot of neglicence here in terms of costs savings and lack of support by the lifeguards. 😢

[@sarahking1292]

I guess someone said the lifeguards paddled around him and then went back out. I think there needs to be someone there held accountable.

[@xSMOKExEMxALLx]

Maybe the order of events should be changed. I'm a great swimmer but I don't want to go swimming, after I've been weight lifting! Sorry this Young man died.

[@dessaint5341]

Those lifeguards were not watching and why did they not take immediate action after other contestants screamed at them that Lazar went under?

[@msTKM2010]

What I don’t understand is many other swimmers in the water, all swimmers where not far off right around this person and near him so why calling for help if you see someone having problems besides swimmers see the man in trouble and having problems so why is not one of the team member in the water already swimming right beside why not rushing over to the person in trouble or to help him, one swimming member had time to call the safeguards, buy that time it was to late to save the man?

[@msTKM2010]

I guess It was a competition everybody else was worried to win and not to save a life

[@Purpose-es8ce]

Usually, there's a boat following the swimmers so this won't happen 😢 prayers for the family 🙏🏾 😢

[@dr5951]

3.5 mile run, not 3.5 hours

[@GoodtimeswiththeGoodies]

3.5 mile run

[@sloaiza81]

They schedual their games during the olympics, but the swim part after running and lifting, have volunteers for lifeguards that dont do their job, and then continue like nothing happened.

[@JACQUELINEFRIDAY]

Terrible this is ridiculous !! What the heck. Rip sl

[@kushkillah9420]

CrossFit doesn't care about safety if they did they wouldn't be showing people how to do exercises wrong

[@First1ToComment]

Rip

[@davebonar1]

So a person dies because he either had a medical event or he overworked himself and didn't know his limitations which is sad so why is someone else at fault ? A sad situation but life happens and this is life. RIP and prayers for his family and friends.

[@sloaiza81]

There is a good reason the swim section of a triatlon is first. There is algo a good reason why lifeguards should be trained and paíd. Or why planes must go through inspections or why You should wear a seat belt. Etc. It's to avoid unnecesary deaths when life happens.

[@catcherinthesky]

Wow, you're such an imbecile. You don't undestand that he died because of the negligence of the organisers? Perhaps the doctors shouldn't have runned on to the pitch and saved the life of Christian Eriksen at UEFA Euro 2020? Why bother. He just didn't know his limitations.

[@SnwBrdnSOB]

Dude 1 life guard each side of him drowning just staring at him drowning. Wtf

[@lizgalindo5657]

A similar event tragically lost an Athlete in the Trinity River in Fort Worth ("The Mud Race") , I apologize for saying Crossfit games, but my intention was to tell contestants to be careful in the water ways. My brain was only thinking about events like the Sparta Race, Ironman ect... I am not a reporter ...just another athlete, who felt bad about someone loosing their life!!!! By the way I am from FTW. But everyone gets fog brain...

[@NotSteve88]

@@lizgalindo5657 It’s ok. Thank you for correcting.

[@sam2725]

We were ultimately able to bring that body out of the water. Bruh the rescue efforts started 3 hours after he drowned

[@andrewgonzalez6208]

That’s terrible

[@dean9330]

Steroid use 1:47

[@lastpme]

I’m surprised this doesn’t happen more often since these athletes push themselves to their limits.

[@giabella111]

And CrossFit takes pride in their last minute extreme workouts

[@CensorShtTube]

Jetskiis should be in the water feet from the swimmers observing everyone. So avoidable..

[@richardmendez5333]

Ya last time i checked humans cant breathe underwater😂. Play stupid games win stupid prizes. Thats why u sign a waiver ✍️📝

[@stacyhall3239]

😮😢

[@turigonzalez10]

CrossFit...Any questions? 💀🌩

[@pauloyeghe1637]

Duh duh duh As if you all were in his body.None of you weren't even there.!!! Bozos

[@A60PlusBlackLibrarian_Ed.D]

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@shannonphillips7861]

Why would he be going in circles unleess something or someone was pulling him from under neath this is a croasfit athlete NO ONE finds it wierd af he dies swimming aomething he could do in his sleep in any water .. .ijs ppl need to dig

[@TM-ic1eb]

Crossfit, orthopedic surgeon’s best friend

[@MaryBer2]

I’ve been a Crossfitter for 12 years and I’ve never needed orthopedic treatment, but ok. Lazy people keep trying to tell me how much safer their lifestyles are, but I guess I just like to *live dangerously*

[@TM-ic1eb]

@@MaryBer2 good for you. Keep it up

[@MaryBer2]

@@TM-ic1eb Same to you. Keep up whatever is working for you 👍🏻

[@WayyyUpThere]

Cro$$fit

[@1darknickguuurrrr]

You whack job

[@LoamReaper]

CrossHurt

[@mr.chuckleteeth4382]

A S S C H E E K S A R E C L A P P I N G

[@callinyourblufftoday9670]

this is such a stupid sport. pushes the body to the max...quite literally, a 3hr run folled by swiming this far and everyone trying to beat times in the middle of summer in texas in 87 degree water is just f'n dumb. very little to no PED testing as well fyi

[@pamelacullinane]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@WolfSerbian]

Looks like need to be one lifeguard per person and watch him all the time and be close to him…and plus some device with them what showing location

[@donaldteal6315]

My condolences God be with the family.Rest in Peace ✝️ All Gods angels are in Heaven ✝️🕊️🇺🇸

[@Munted846]

Died doing what he loved?

[@Spencerlayne]

Got the event wrong. Git his name wrong. Hot the milage and hours wrong. Sont report on things if you sont care about what tou are reporting on. Secondly. Its a dumb idea to make peoppe run for miles and then swim in water. Theres a reason swimming comes first in events like this.

[@Mr_Zod]

Crossfit is for the athletes who don't have the talent or the skill to compete in real sports, I am not surprised really, I am surprised though that it took this long for something like this to happen. Condolences to his family.

[@MaryBer2]

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