FORT WORTH, Texas — As the final day of competition began at the 2024 CrossFit Games in Fort Worth, CrossFit's CEO announced a third party is now investigating the death of 28-year-old competitor Lazar Đukić.
Đukić, a former water polo player from Serbia, drowned in the swim portion of the CrossFit Games' first event on Thursday. The event was held at Marine Creek Lake, near the Tarrant County College Northwest campus.
Đukić was just a few feet from two people on paddleboards, who did not enter the water to rescue him. A spectator dove after the 28-year-old, but witnesses told WFAA one of the paddleboarders turned him away.
"The safety of our athletes is our most important responsibility and this tragedy happened on our watch," CrossFit Games CEO Don Faul said in the video. "We must understand what happened and ensure we do everything in our power to make sure it doesn't happen again."
He said CrossFit will provide transparency around the investigation while protecting the privacy of people directly involved. The organization's goal is to update their protocols to better protect the athletes, Faul said.
Faul also addressed CrossFit's decision to continue competition after Đukić's death. The contest will end on Sunday, Aug. 11.
"We understand that not everyone agrees with our plan to move forward but we are doing the very best we can to navigate this tragic and unprecedented event in a way that best serves our community," Faul said.
He acknowledged that the decision put athletes in a "difficult position," and said he respected each athlete's decision to either continue competing or drop out. At least two teams and 13 athletes competing in individual competitions withdrew from the CrossFit games after Đukić's death.
The games concluded Sunday with a low-key medal ceremony. Athletes watched a brief tribute video before accepting their honors on the Dickie's Arena floor, beneath a picture of competitors kneeling in Đukić's honor before an event.