OTTAWA -- Several local gyms say they are dropping their affiliation with the CrossFit brand after insensitive remarks by the company's CEO.

CrossFit chief executive Greg Glassman tweeted Saturday, "It's FLOYD-19" in reaction to the Seattle-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation classifying racism and discrimination as a public health issue.

The tweet garnered immediate backlash, with users, human rights groups, and brands calling it insensitive to the family of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed on May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when a white police officer knelt on his neck for close to nine minutes.

The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. The three other officers who stood by him during Floyd's arrest have been charged with abetting murder and manslaughter.

Glassman later apologized in a Twitter thread on the official CrossFit account.

In a Facebook post, CrossFit 613 said it's time for a change.

"In light of recent events and our mounting concerns about the direction of CrossFit HQ, we have decided to de-affiliate from CrossFit," the post said. We have been an affiliate for over 7 years, but it has become abundantly clear that the CrossFit brand does not share our values."

What the future branding of the gym will be remains to be determined.

CrossFit NCR made a similar announcement on Instagram.

"It is with heavy hearts that we will be removing our affiliation with CrossFit HQ," the post said, alongside a photo with a logo that said 'NCR Fitness.'

"For our community, this does not change much. This is a new beginning for NCR."

Other CrossFit gyms that have posted that they will be ending their affiliation with the brand or don't condone Glassman's comments include: