Dramatism and CrossFit: The Guilt Redemption Cycle

After the death of elite Serbian athlete, Lazar Ðukič, at the 2024 CrossFit Games, CrossFit, LLC..’s leadership was once again in the spotlight of another controversy. In the immediate aftermath, Don Faul was responsible for navigating the complex crisis communication that was required. This study evaluates the language in Faul’s oratory, and seeks to answer the questions: (1) what pentadic elements are incorporated in Faul’s communication, (2) what ratio prevails and (3) how do the linguistic choices offload the guilt and responsibility that the organization had to ensure athlete safety. Using a linguistic analysis, the Burkean logic reveals strategic linguistic elements that cultivate identification, victimage, and shared accountability. However, when the prevailing act-agent ratio is reversed, a larger motive is revealed within the narrative, which puts athletes as prominent agents in continuing the games – a burden that was not of their own accord. This study contributes to a larger discourse surrounding ethics, the social responsibility in elite sports, and management.