Luka Dukic Rips Into CrossFit After His Brother Lazar's Drowning

Luka Dukic -- the brother of the late Lazar Dukic -- is ripping CrossFit Games weeks after his bro tragically died, drowning during the 2024 CrossFit Games in Fort Worth.

Luka posted a lengthy statement to his Instagram Thursday morning ... recounting the events leading up to and following his brother's death.

Unable to locate Lazar at the finish line, Luke recalled running over to Dave Castro -- creator and director of CrossFit games -- asking him if he knew where his brother was located.

"Dave replied, 'He was number 27, right? They said his chip crossed the finish line.'"

The statement was a "huge relief" for Luka ... who was then sure his brother way okay.

Sadly, he was later told that was a mistake ... and Lazar was in fact missing.

Luka says he eventually saw video of his brother going under the water, with the finish line in sight, and lifeguards literally just feet away.

"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 and very close to the finishing line."

At his hotel later in the night, Luka says Castro came to speak with him ... with the CrossFit honcho punishing to continue with the Games "as a tribute for [Lazar]."

Luka says he told Dave ... "I said many things, but the most important ones were, 'I don't care, nothing will bring him back' and 'I don't think I am thinking clearly, so this decision should not be up to me.'''

Dukic claims ... "Dave replied: 'It's not up to you anyways.'''

CrossFit ultimately honored Lazar ... but Luka says even that wasn't without issue. He says he asked not to be shown on camera, but his wish wasn't respected.

Ultimately, Dukic, who says he has no ill-will towards athletes who continued to compete over the weekend, still has more questions than answers.

"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 competition of this size, how it could it could 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.