CrossFit gym fires employee who called out LGBT movement’s ‘intolerance’

CrossFit fired a high-ranking employee on Wednesday after he said celebrating gay pride is a “sin” and called out the LGBT movement’s “intolerance.”

Russell Berger, the gym’s former chief knowledge officer, made a post on Twitter supporting the owner of CrossFit Infiltrate, a location in downtown Indianapolis, who provoked a backlash after cancelling a pride-themed workout with gay-rights activists.

“As someone who personally believes celebrating ’pride’ is sin, I’d like to personally encourage #CrossFitInfiltrate for standing by their convictions and refusing to host an @indypride workout,” Mr. Berger said Wednesday in the tweet, which has since been deleted. “The intolerance of the LGBTQ ideology toward any alternative views is mind-blowing.”

Hours later, CrossFit said Mr. Berger had been terminated.

The statements made today by Russell Berger do not reflect the views of CrossFit Inc. For this reason, his employment with CrossFit has been terminated.

— CrossFit (@CrossFit) June 6, 2018

Several people said they canceled their CrossFit memberships after the workout with Indy Pride was called off.

In his email to members cancelling the workout, owner Brandon Lowe said the gym’s goal has always been to promote health and well-being.

“We believe that true health forever can only be found within humility — not pride,” Mr. Lowe said in the email in part.

Later on Wednesday, signs appeared on the gym’s door announcing that CrossFit Infiltrate “will no longer operate its business at this location.”

CrossFit Infiltrate was recently named the best gym in Indiana and the 15th best gym in the country by Men’s Journal.