In the latest video from the Buttery Bros, Annie Thorisdottir made a powerful statement about her stance on the CrossFit Open and the sport as a whole.
(Watch the video at the end of the article)
“I love CrossFit. It’s been my life for half my life,” she said. “I will continue to do CrossFit for the rest of my life, support the community, the sport, and the athletes.”
But when it comes to CrossFit HQ, her feelings are much different.
“For moral reasons, I cannot partake in the Open this year,”
Annie Thorisdottir
“I feel very, very disappointed in how they have handled everything,” she continued, referring to the recent tragedy at a CrossFit-sanctioned event, where an athlete died due to inadequate safety measures.
“And how they’ve handled it going forward is even more disappointing.”
For the first time since its inception, Annie is opting out of the Open—not because she’s done competing, but because she refuses to support an organization she believes has failed its athletes.
Related: 2025 CrossFit Open Registration Plummets by 40% Year-Over-Year
Why Annie Is Skipping the Open
For Annie, the lack of accountability from CrossFit’s leadership was the final straw.
“Somebody was supposed to be responsible for safety. Somebody died. And there was no responsibility taken,” she explained.
“They said they’d be transparent, but then they just announced a new season structure like nothing happened. It makes people feel crazy.”
Annie Thorisdottir
Because of this, she made a difficult but firm decision.
“For moral reasons, I cannot partake in the Open this year,” she stated. “This will be the first year since 2009, or since the Open started, that I will not participate in the CrossFit Games season.”
Related: A recent survey shows 26% of elite athletes Might Say “no” to the 2025 Games
She still plans to do the workouts at her gym, but she refuses to be part of a system she believes is failing its athletes.
“They’re hoping time will make people forget,” she said. “I’m not willing to just forget.”
A Changing Perspective on Competition
Katrin, who recently announced her retirement, echoed the sentiment that CrossFit has been deeply personal for her.
“I’ve tied my identity so hard to CrossFit,” she said. “I’ve waved that flag so proudly for over 13 years. But now, I do not feel proud to wave that flag.”
Though she never planned on competing this season, she expressed empathy for younger athletes caught in the chaos.
“I feel so bad for the athletes who have been on the cusp of making it, finally qualify for their first Games, and now see the sport crumbling in front of them,” she said.
“There’s no career, no system to support them. That’s so sad because CrossFit gave me so much.”
What’s Next for CrossFit’s Legends?
While Annie is stepping away from the Open, Sara remains uncertain about her plans.
“I was going to see how I feel here, and I feel really good,” she said. “I’m thinking about it.”
The uncertainty extends beyond Team The Daughters and into the larger CrossFit community.
With new competitive leagues emerging and growing frustration with CrossFit HQ’s handling of key issues, the sport is at a crossroads.
“I think this year is going to be trial and error for most athletes,” Sara noted.
Despite their frustrations with leadership, all three women remain dedicated to the sport itself. They believe in CrossFit’s ability to evolve and hope for higher standards moving forward.
“I want CrossFit to keep growing,” Sara said. “I want to look back in 20 years and see that it’s still here, still pushing boundaries.”
But for now, at least for Annie, sitting out this season is the strongest statement she can make.
