Holocaust memorial pic gets CrossFit star into big trouble

A CrossFit coach and participant has caused huge controversy by posing in a handstand atop a Holocaust memorial.

Dave Driskell, who is number 102 in the CrossFit rankings for Asia posted a photo to his Instagram account of himself on top of the memorial.

It was accompanied by the message: “Hello Berlin, Germany. 15 hour layover. Checking the sites. Drinking the beers. Eating the bratwurst.”

Many fans said they supported Driskell, but criticised him for posting the photo – some speculated that he hadn’t realised it was a Holocaust memorial.

Others defended him, saying he shouldn’t have to apologise for the photo.

Driskell later apologised, confirming rumours that he did not know the installation was a memorial, and saying he found it “visually stunning”.

The CrossFitter, who describes himself as an “Inspirer/CrossFit Coach”, and a “Vagabond/Model”, said: “I feel completely terrible as I would never purposely offend or disrespect this memorial had I known.”

He added: “Again I apologize for this horrible misunderstanding and any offense this might have caused. Anyone who knows me, knows this is the complete opposite of what I would want. I respectfully ask your forgiveness.”

The photo has now been removed.

During the Holocaust, approximately 50,000 served prison sentences as “convicted homosexuals”, and around 5,000 to 15,000 gay men were imprisoned in concentration camps.

Many gay men were imprisoned by the allied authorities after the liberation of the concentration camps as homosexuality remained illegal.

Earlier this year, two British teenagers were fined for stealing artefacts from Auschwitz in Poland.

• Nov 29 2023

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