The brother of CrossFit competitor Lazar Djukic, who was killed while swimming at a meet in Texas, broke his silence on Friday, saying he believes the tragedy could have been prevented.
“You loved a sport that didn’t love you back” – Luka Djukic wrote on her Instagram storyand above it is a black-and-white photo memorial to his brother.
The 28-year-old Serbian athlete disappeared near the end of the 800-meter swim at the annual CrossFit Games on Thursday at Marine Creek Lake in Fort Worth.
His body was pulled from the water two hours after the incident, which was live-streamed.
“No amount of tribute can bring you back,” the grieving brother said. “This is something that could have been prevented, and there is no way around it.”
Hours before making his emotional statement, Luka Djukic posted a captionless black-and-white photo of the brothers embracing each other.
“But I have a lot of respect for all the players, regardless of how they decided to handle the situation. At least we knew what it took to get on the court,” Djukic’s son said.
A week before the annual event, Luka Djukic practiced the race route with his brother in final preparations.
CrossFit CEO Don Fall said in a statement to The Associated Press on Friday that safety is our “top priority” and that officials have “rigorous protocols in place for each CrossFit Games event.”
He added that the organisation had launched an investigation into Dukic’s death, including an “independent third-party investigation”.
At a press conference yesterday, Fowle said safety personnel were on-site at the swimming event but gave no further details.
CrossFit did not immediately release details about its safety plans.
A spectator at the event said he saw people he believed to be lifeguards sitting on paddleboards below the surface as the competitors were swimming.
“Judging by the position of the people on the paddle boards and stuff, he would have been reachable,” Caitlin Pritchard said. He told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The 25-year-old’s brother said he may speak about the tragic death in the future, but “for now, this is all I can say about this matter.”
“My brother, you touched more lives than you will ever know and you will live on forever,” he added.
CrossFit called Djukic’s death the “saddest day” in the organization’s 24-year history but sparked outrage by continuing with the three-day competition.
“Along with the entire CrossFit community, we are devastated by the passing of Lazar Djukic,” the organization said in a tribute posted late Thursday night.
“Lazar was one of the most talented athletes in our sport, but he was much more than just an athlete. To nearly everyone who knew him, he was a son, a brother and a friend.”
“The loss of his light is unimaginable,” the tribute added. “The first thought that comes to mind is one of closure. Isolation. And sadness.”
“But the only way to heal is to mourn. And the best way to grieve is together. In our community, working through difficult things together is how we show respect. In this spirit, we have made the decision to go forward with the 2024 CrossFit Games.”
“This weekend is dedicated to Lazar Djukic.”
A moment of silence was held for Lazar inside Dickies Arena in Fort Worth before the start of the second game of the night on Friday morning.
Competitors, wearing black CrossFit-branded clothing, walked out onto the arena floor during the memorial service as a photo of Djukic was displayed on the video board.
“His competitive spirit, extraordinary kindness and joyful presence will be deeply missed by all who knew him,” the public address announcer said.
Some CrossFit athletes became visibly emotional during the 20-second silence.
