• 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 » Dave Castro Issues Public Apology to the Đukić Family: “I Absolutely Made a Mistake”

Dave Castro Issues Public Apology to the Đukić Family: “I Absolutely Made a Mistake”

Dave Castro's apology comes on the heels of Luka Đukić's statement on Instagram.

Teaganne Finn
Written by Teaganne Finn
Last updated on September 6th, 2024

CrossFit’s Director of Sport, Dave Castro, has publicly apologized to the Đukić family after Luka Đukić issued a statement on Thursday regarding his brother Lazar’s death at the 2024 CrossFit Games. 

Remind me: In his statement released on Sept. 5, Luka Đukić revealed that following his brother’s death at the Games, Castro approached him about continuing the competition as a tribute to Lazar.

  • “‘I don’t care,’” Luka replied, according to his post, “‘I don’t think I am thinking clearly so this decision should not be up to me.’” 
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Luka Đukić (@luka.djukic)

[Related: PFAA Calls for Dave Castro’s Removal From CrossFit’s Sport Team]

According to Luka, Castro reportedly replied: “’It’s not up to you anyways.’”

Despite this, Luka wrote that Castro later presented the decision to continue the Games as the “wish of the family.”  

Dave Castro Responds

Castro’s public apology on Sept. 5 focused on the decision to continue the Games and how he portrayed the Đukić family in his statements both to the athletes assembled at Dickies Arena later that day on Aug. 8 and on the CrossFit Games broadcast the next morning.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dave Castro (@thedavecastro)

[Related: Dave Castro Shares Regrets, Says Firing CrossFit Media Team in 2018 “Set Us Back”]

The broadcast opened with a few words from commentator Chase Ingraham and then an interview between sideline reporter Mike Arsenault and Castro.

  • At approximately 3:45 into the broadcast, Castro said: “Went and saw Luka, had a conversation with him and he gave his blessing. He said he supported the idea of the event continuing forward.”  

In the apology, Castro wrote, “I should never have said that the decision to continue the CrossFit Games in August was ‘blessed’ by their family.” 

He went on to take responsibility for the decision to continue the 2024 CrossFit Games.

  • “This decision was made by CrossFit and I never intended to put the weight of this decision on Luka, the Đukić family or our CrossFit athletes,” he added. 

Castro concluded his statement by admitting he’d made a mistake.

  • “I’ve never been in a situation like this before and I absolutely made a mistake. I sincerely regret any pain I’ve caused,” Castro wrote. 

More on This Story

  • CrossFit Community Looks to Athletes on Social Media, Aims to Connect With Đukić Family
  • “He Was There, Then He Was Gone”: Former Lifeguard Gives Eyewitness Account of Lazar Đukić’s Death
  • “You Loved the Sport That Didn’t Love You Back”: Luka Đukić Comments on Brother Lazar’s Death

Featured image: Scott Freymond

Teaganne Finn

About Teaganne Finn

Teaganne is a health and fitness writer. She is also a trainer in New York City at Union Square CrossFit and Dutch Kills Fitness in Queens, NY. After one year of rowing in college and trying her hand at triathlons, Teaganne landed in a CrossFit gym and hasn't looked back since. She has competed at local competitions and at Wodapalooza in 2020 on an intermediate team. Her background is in political journalism and she hails from Washington, DC where she lived for five years writing for outlets such as Bloomberg and NBC covering breaking news.

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