Two athletes had preexisting upper body injuries and were not able to perform Test 2. Both Alexandre Caron and Korby Foxall had preexisting injuries that prevented them from being able to perform the ring complex. Both athletes’ situations were assessed and they were withdrawn from the competition.
“My heart goes out to both Alex and Korby. There’s nothing we enjoy about having to make these decisions, but there’s no way, in good conscience, that we could let any athlete with an injury move on and compete in a benchmark workout like Linda,” said CrossFit General Manager of Sport Justin Bergh.
“Injuries are one of the hardest parts of sports. We strive to bring the best medical care to athletes during competition and to ensure a fair competition for the full field of athletes. Each stage of competition is intended to be completed in its entirety, and it’s obviously a disappointing outcome for all of us when an injury prevents an athlete from being able to showcase what they’ve trained so hard for,” Bergh continued.
At the mandatory orientation and event briefing prior to the start of competition, the athletes would have heard the following information:
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While there are no minimum work requirements at this (North America East Semifinal) competition, athletes are expected to put forth an effort to complete each test throughout the duration of their respective heat.
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In the case of injury — whether preexisting or experienced during competition — any athlete who is unable to finish an event or requires medical attention following an event must receive clearance from 1) CrossFit’s medical staff and 2) CrossFit’s Head Judge prior to returning to competition.
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CrossFit’s Head Judge has the authority to remove any athlete from competition based on injury severity, likelihood of further injury, and/or other factors that could impact the health and safety of an athlete or the integrity of the competition.
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If an athlete misses part of, or the entirety of, an event while receiving medical treatment or assessment, the athlete will not be allowed to return to the competition.
To prevent further injury and establish a fair competition where all athletes are performing the same tests under the same conditions and experiencing the same accumulated effect, athletes who are injured and cannot perform one test may not be allowed to advance in the competition.