• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The BarBend Logo in white.

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • HYROX
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini-Massage Guns
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainer
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workout for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
      • Individual Supplement Reviews
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Exercise Bikes
      • Best Ellipticals
      • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Individual Cardio Equipment Reviews
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Leg Extension Machines
      • Individual Strength Equipment Reviews
    • Apparel
      • Best Weightlifting Shoes
      • Best Cross Training Shoes
      • Best Running Shoes
      • Best Gym Shorts
    • Fitness Tech
      • Best Running Apps
      • Best Fitness Trackers
      • Best Workout Apps
      • Best Smart Scales
    • Support Gear
      • Best Lifting Straps
      • Best Gym Bags
      • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Best Wrist Wraps
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Daily Protein Needs
    • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
    • Foods With Creatine
    • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
    • Training Guides
      • Beginner’s Guide to the Gym
      • How to Build Muscle
      • Guide to Muscle Hypertrophy
      • How to Train on a Cut
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
      • Bodybuilding Workouts
      • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Programs
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • German Volume Training
      • Build Your Own Program
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
  • Community Forum
Home » Crossfit News » CrossFit Names Wendy Guthrie Head of Safety in Wake of 2024 Games Tragedy

CrossFit Names Wendy Guthrie Head of Safety in Wake of 2024 Games Tragedy

Guthrie is working at her first CrossFit Games in August.

Written by Emily Beers
Last updated on May 28th, 2025

CrossFit announced today that it has appointed Wendy Guthrie as the Head of Safety for this summer’s CrossFit Games in Albany, NY.

  • “Wendy brings an ideal blend of safety expertise and CrossFit knowledge, having led athlete safety efforts at the very highest level in sport while also being a longtime dedicated member of the CrossFit community,” CrossFit CEO Don Faul said in a press release.

As Head of Safety, Guthrie, “will be responsible for advancing CrossFit Sport safety practices, leading real-time safety response operations during competitive events, and continuously refining CrossFit’s approach to athlete protection,” the press release stated.

  • Further, Guthrie will “liaise with the CrossFit Safety Advisory Board to research and elevate safety standards and foster a culture of accountability and care across the sport.”

The Big Picture

The Head of Safety role is a new one that CrossFit introduced this season in the aftermath of Lazar Đukić’s death at the 2024 CrossFit Games. The tragedy led many in the community, including the Professional Fitness Athletes’ Association (PFAA), to call for accountability and a commitment to prioritize athlete safety. 

  • In November, 2024, CrossFit then revealed six actions they intend to take this season, one of them being to hire a senior safety leader — Head of Safety — who will report to both the Director of the CrossFit Games, Dave Castro, and to Faul, and who will “provide regular briefings on CrossFit’s safety plans and posture.”

The other five actions included: 

  • The creation of a CrossFit Athlete Council. 
  • The creation of a Safety Advisory Board. 
  • A continued suspension of open-water swimming events. 
  • Enhancing pre-event rehearsals for safety review.
  • An expansion of mental health support resources. 

In January, CrossFit established its new Athlete Council, and now, by appointing Guthrie as Head of Safety, it has fulfilled another of its six commitments.

About Wendy Guthrie

According to CrossFit’s press release, Guthrie has two decades of experience in risk management, organizational strategy, and athlete advocacy.

Her career resume includes six years of experience working in human resources with the FBI and over 15 years of experience as an intercollegiate athletic administrator. She has also served as the Vice President of Athlete Safety at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

  • Of her new role, Guthrie said: “I’m excited to join the team and further advance an athlete-first approach to safety – one that listens, adapts, and puts the well-being of our athletes at the center of everything we do.”

The Bottom Line

After last year’s CrossFit Games, athletes and the PFAA have been vocal about the need for CrossFit to prioritize athlete safety. 

While CrossFit largely ignored the PFAA’s specific demands, it did commit to implementing various measures to enhance athlete safety, including the hiring of a Head of Safety. 

At the very least, Guthrie’s appointment shows that CrossFit is honoring the commitment it made to the athletes last November. 

JOIN THE BARBEND COMMUNITY FORUM

Looking to connect with fellow fitness lovers like you? Head over to the BarBend Community Forum to ask questions, share advice, and talk all things training.

Join the Conversation

More CrossFit Stories

  • 6 Things You Need to Know About the 2025 Wodland Fest
  • Run Rules Raise Questions Ahead of CrossFit’s Team In-Affiliate Semifinals
  • 8 Weeks Postpartum, Paige Powers Surprised Herself at Mayhem Classic

Featured Image: Joe Genetin-Pilawa

About Emily Beers

Emily Beers is a freelance health, fitness and nutrition writer. She has also been coaching fitness at MadLab School of Fitness in Vancouver, B.C. since 2009. A former college basketball player and rower, Emily became heavily involved in CrossFit after finishing her Masters degree in journalism at the University of Western Ontario. She competed at the 2014 CrossFit Games and also worked with CrossFit Inc.’s media team for 8 years. You can also find her work at Precision Nutrition, the Whole Life Challenge, OPEX, and a host of other fitness and nutrition companies and media outlets.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest Reviews

Featured image for the Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 Review

Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 Review (2025): Our Expert’s New Favorite FID Bench

Titan T3 Power Rack Review

Titan T3 Power Rack Review (2025): An Expert-Approved Rig Beckoning to Budget-Minded Athletes

Our tester works out at the beach in preparation for the Rogue Resistance Bands Review

Rogue Resistance Bands Review (2025): Tested by a Certified Personal Trainer

Barbend tester Jake Herod works out on a Force USA Trainer

Force USA G3 Review (2025): Our Experts Tested This Compact All-In-One Rack for Small Home Gyms

BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2025 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap