Frustration, pain, and sorrow were palpable in Luka Đukić’s Instagram post on Thursday regarding the death of his brother, Lazar Đukić, during the first event of the 2024 CrossFit Games.
Just four weeks after the tragic drowning of his brother, Luka has released a statement on social media revealing details leading up to Lazar’s death and everything that came after.
[Related: PFAA Calls for Dave Castro’s Removal From CrossFit’s Sport Team]
Since his death, fellow athletes, community members, and other prominent voices in the sport have spoken out regarding the lack of safety protocols surrounding the event and what ramifications there should be for CrossFit HQ.
Luka Đukić’s Statement
Luka began his post with an emotional tribute to his brother and then laid out the days leading up to the Games, aiming to paint the picture from his point of view.
“In Lazar I had everything. He was my brother, my best friend, my idol, fellow competitor, training partner, someone I went to when I didn’t know what to do and someone I ran to when I had good news,” Luka wrote.
He went on to write that he doesn’t owe anyone an explanation or an update but wanted to share his side of the story.
Luka described how he and Lazar ran the [presumed] course leading up to the Games and swam in the lake prior to the event. He said the two had a plan to tail one another and keep each other accountable in terms of pacing.
“While entering the water, Lazar missed the entrance, which cost him [a] few seconds, so with me being very close to [the] lead group in which he was in, we ended up entering the water at [almost the] same time. That was the last time I saw him,” he said.
Luka recalls finishing the event and immediately looking to find his brother. He soon encountered his partner, Anja Pantović, who was “upset and scared” because she thought she saw something on the livestream.
Luka said he then went to Director of Sport Dave Castro and asked where his brother was, to which Castro replied, “‘He was number 27, right? They said his chip crossed the finish line.’”
While he felt a huge relief momentarily, a CrossFit HQ staff member soon came to Luka and told him they were still missing two chip timers.
Read a timeline of Event 1: “Lake Day,” as reconstructed by Mike Halpin at Known & Knowable.
He was then left waiting with no information and no additional news.
He’d only later realize that CrossFit leadership was awaiting emergency services to find Lazar’s body, which Luka would later have to identify through a photo.
“What I later saw on the video was that there were no attempts to save Lazar, he was fighting and went down close to two very unequipped volunteers (yes) on the paddleboard who didn’t [see] him,” Luka wrote.
He recalls going back to his hotel, still in his swimwear, and being told Castro wanted to speak to him. Castro and Nicole Carroll, CrossFit HQ’s chief brand officer, entered the room and told him they wanted to continue the Games as a tribute to Lazar.
In shock and grieving, Luka told Castro the decision shouldn’t be left to him. Castro replied: ‘“It’s not up to you anyways,’” according to Luka.
Luka went on to say he and Castro had one final conversation the next day. Luka wanted to attend the tribute to Lazar but asked for privacy if he did attend the tribute.
“As my wish was not respected, after that I didn’t have any other conversation with anyone from HQ,” Luka wrote.
He was asked to speak to Castro on Saturday night, but he refused.
[Read: Inside the Decision to Continue the 2024 CrossFit Games Following Lazar Đukić’s Tragic Death]
He also was told by the Medical Examiner’s office that the doctor who performed Lazar’s autopsy categorized him as in “extremely fit” shape and that there were no signs of a heart attack.
“While I won’t point fingers on this post and try to ruin anyone’s name, I feel obligated with my family to do everything that is legally in my power to ask questions, go deeper into this case, and try to see whose fault [it is] that there was no reaction from the multi-million dollar organization,” Luka wrote.
He concluded his post by sharing that he has no bad blood or anger toward the athletes who decided to continue competing. Instead, he wants to ensure that everyone is aware that this could have happened to any one of them.
“Even if I wanted to go deeper into this conversation, I wouldn’t, because what it’s doing is just taking attention from where it should be, and that is: how could this happen on [a] competition of this size, how could it happen on a live-stream and to someone who was very easy to keep track of as he was one of the few people in the lead,” Luka said.
Luka closed by sharing that he would keep private “for some time” but thanked the community for sending their love and showing their support for his family and his late brother.
“My brother loved this sport, and he was one of the best in the world at it,” he said, concluding the post with some photos of him and his brother.
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: Dave Shenton
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