PRESENTING: A 'frat party' workplace and a culture that demeans women — insiders say this is the reality of working for CrossFit

On June 6, Greg Glassman, founder and CEO of cult-following gym CrossFit, took to Twitter and, in response to another tweet about racism being a public health issue, wrote: "It's FLOYD-19."

The tweet, which came at the height of protests over police brutality following the killing of George Floyd and three months into the coronavirus pandemic, was widely criticized. Glassman issued an apology the next day, writing, "It was a mistake, not racist but a mistake," but the backlash was swift.

On June 7, Reebok, the company's biggest sponsor, announced it would back out of its 10-year sponsorship at the end of the year. By June 18, more than 1,400 gyms had dropped or were in the process of dropping their CrossFit affiliations, according to Morning Chalk Up . (A CrossFit spokesperson said the official number is closer to 450, but that there could be additional owners who intend to disaffiliate but have not yet begun the process.) And on June 9, Glassman announced he would be stepping down from his role as CEO.

The tweet was the most recent in a string of controversial comments that were, according to sources, indicative of the way Glassman ran CrossFit. A former video producer at the Scotts Valley, California headquarters, Marston Sawyers, told Business Insider, "The whole culture was kind of built on controversy and they would always try to push that."

Business Insider spoke to more than 30 former corporate employees, and current and former brand athletes and affiliate gym owners to get an inside look at the company's culture. Across these conversations, a series of trends emerged. Insiders claimed there was a toxic workplace that demeaned women, operated off retribution, and was ruled by a fear of getting on Glassman's bad side.