Cheating in CrossFit has been around since the early days of the Open and online qualifiers. From athletes looping videos to some competitors being exposed year after year at Regionals, it’s a persistent undercurrent in the sport. But how widespread is cheating and does it always happen intentionally?
At one end of the spectrum, you have blatant rule-breaking, like switching out a medicine ball for a lighter one. At the other, you see more subtle infractions, such as a judge giving a warning for a squat that’s just shy of full depth. Both technically count as cheating, but they’re worlds apart in intent and impact.
In this episode, we dive into the kinds of cheating we’ve seen over the years, some being very entertaining, and examine how the current CrossFit Games season, with its heavy reliance on virtual competition, creates even more opportunities for rule-bending.
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Show Notes:
- [1:00] Cheating in online qualifiers
- [3:00] How many athletes are cheating in the open?
- [8:00] Cale Layman in this years open
- [10:15] Having to verify scores when athletes judge each other
- [13:00] Qualifying athletes to the games without in person competitions
- [16:10] When an athlete or judge might accidentally cheat
- [19:30] Is the 2025 season going to be a good test?
- [21:00] Team athletes making it to the games without basic skills
