A major judging mishap is shaking up the 2025 CrossFit Games season, as CrossFit has invalidated dozens of athlete scores from the Age Group In-Affiliate Semifinals due to non-compliant judges — some of whom were overseeing workouts with expired certifications (As per The Barbell Spin).
The fallout has not only affected top-tier competitors but is also raising serious questions about oversight and fairness in the Games qualification process.
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Athletes Penalized After Trusting the Wrong Judges
During the April 3–6 In-Affiliate Semifinals, new judging standards were implemented requiring both a Floor Judge and a Head Judge to hold a current CF-L1 (or higher) and to have passed both the 2025 Judges Course and Advanced Judges Course. Judges also had to be physically present and introduced on video submissions.
While many athletes adhered to these standards, several trusted external organizations — specifically the Association of Fitness Judges (AFJ) — to handle their judging. One such setup took place at CrossFit Mayhem, a facility many athletes considered a gold standard for competition prep.
But trusting the AFJ came at a steep cost.
Several competitors who submitted their workouts from Mayhem had their scores wiped. The common denominator? Brian Clapp, Head Judge and Director of Competition at AFJ, who reportedly let his CrossFit certification lapse.
Though Clapp claims Level 2 certification on his bio and social media, CrossFit’s official Trainer Directory lists no active credential under his name.
CrossFit Responds: A One-Time Exception for Affected Athletes
In an official statement, CrossFit acknowledged the oversight and clarified its stance:
“It has come to our attention that a small number of judges for the 2025 Age-Group Semifinals athletes had expired CrossFit credentials.”
Despite placing responsibility on the athletes, the organization is offering a one-time exception due to the novelty of the updated rule system.
Here’s what CrossFit has pledged to do:
- Zero out all scores impacted by non-compliant judging after the public review window closed on Friday, April 11.
- Launch an internal video review by CrossFit’s judging team.
- Issue modified scores based on this review process.
- Finalize and update the leaderboard by Monday, April 21.
Affected athletes were notified directly by CrossFit.
This review process applies only to Age Group competitors. CrossFit made it clear that no exceptions will be made for upcoming Team (April 24–27) and Individual (May 1–4) In-Affiliate Semifinals.
Athletes Left in Limbo
For many competitors, this decision is a frustrating mix of relief and disappointment.
They followed the rules to the best of their understanding and even sought out professional help to ensure compliance — only to learn that those overseeing their workouts were not properly credentialed.
The AFJ has not issued a formal explanation but stated that it will refrain from comment until the video reviews conclude.
This leaves athletes like those who worked with Clapp — and many others across the leaderboard — in a state of uncertainty, watching their efforts temporarily invalidated over technicalities outside their control.
Not an Isolated Incident
While the spotlight is on the AFJ and CrossFit Mayhem, other athletes across the globe have also been penalized.
Searches through the Age Group leaderboard show multiple score removals tied to judges who either lacked visible certification or failed to appear in the video submissions — both requirements clearly outlined in Sections 2.02 and 2.07 of the 2025 CrossFit Games Rulebook.
This signals that the issue is not isolated, but systemic — affecting numerous athletes who likely misinterpreted or overlooked the updated judging guidelines.
What Competitors Can Learn
With CrossFit making it clear this is a one-time concession, athletes in the upcoming Team and Individual Semifinals need to triple-check their judging setup.
Here’s what to verify:
- Judges must hold an active CF-L1 or higher.
- Both 2025 Judges Course and Advanced Judges Course must be completed.
- Floor and Head Judges must be on-site and introduced in the video.
- Athletes are responsible for verifying judge credentials, not just assuming based on reputation or affiliation.
Failure to follow these steps will result in automatic disqualification from the competition — with no second chances.
A Cautionary Tale for Future Events
The incident serves as a wake-up call for the competitive CrossFit community. Even in the sport’s most trusted environments, mistakes can happen — and the cost can be devastating.
Athletes, coaches, and organizers must now treat the credential verification process with the same rigor as the training and performance itself.
This controversy may end with a leaderboard update, but its lesson is clear: in the CrossFit Games season, every detail counts.
Final Thoughts
While CrossFit’s decision to review and possibly restore affected scores is a fair compromise, it also underscores how important it is to get every box checked — literally and figuratively — in a Games season packed with complexity.
As the Team and Individual Semifinals approach, athletes can no longer afford to assume that “good enough” judging is actually compliant. CrossFit has set a precedent, and from now on, rules will be enforced to the letter.
For more details on judging requirements, visit the 2025 CrossFit Games Rulebook.
