CrossFit exec fired after calling LGBTQ pride a 'sin'

UPDATE: June 6, 2018, 5:30 p.m. PDT Updated with news of Cheif Knowledge Officer Russell Berger's official termination.

UPDATE: June 6, 2018, 4:26 p.m. PDT Updated with comments from CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman.

A CrossFit executive was fired on Wednesday after calling LGBTQ pride a "sin." 

Prior to being terminated, he was placed on unpaid leave for a string of homophobic tweets. 

In the now-deleted tweets, CrossFit's Chief Knowledge Officer Russell Berger congratulated CrossFit Infiltrate, a CrossFit gym in Indianapolis, for canceling their Pride-themed workout. Pride events, including parades and community gatherings, are hosted across the country in June.

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In an email to its members, the gym's owners said they shut down the event because they "value health and wellness, and they believe that this event does not.” According to Fox 59, a follow-up email from the gym to a member asking for clarification said:

Berger tweeted his support for the gym's owners.

"As someone who personally believes celebrating "pride" is a sin, I'd like to personally encourage #CrossFitInflitrate for standing by their convictions and refusing to host an @indypride workout." 

Then, as if he needed to make it more homophobic, he said he believes Pride events are a "celebration of sin" and then claimed that people calling him out on Twitter were "an existential threat to freedom of expression."

Twitter users also took screenshots of Berger's other  tweets, some of which he had deleted. He additionally wrote he didn't speak for CrossFit and ranted about the "attempt to silence" his personal views by "pressuring [his] employer."

CrossFit's official Twitter account posted an awkward, stilted message hours after Berger's tweets, just as the screenshots started picking up steam. 

"I am crazy proud of the gay community in CrossFit," the account said, tagging CEO Greg Glassman. 

Glassman's comments were less reserved off Twitter. According to BuzzFeed, Glassman said Berger "needs to take a big dose of 'shut the fuck up' and hide out for a while. It's sad." 

He continued: 

CrossFit tweeted that Berger has been placed on unpaid leave while "management completes a thorough review."

Just over two hours later, Berger said he was "officially terminated" in the comments of another tweet. The firing was confirmed by CrossFit's official Twitter account. 

Considering CrossFit has been immensely popular in the LGBTQ community, Twitter users wondered how Berger could ostracize such a major part of his clientele. 

CrossFit hasn't responded to Mashable's request for comment. 

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