Glamorgan Gazette

Gym criticised over ‘special’ 9/11 workout

- THOMAS DEACON newsdesk@walesonlin­e.co.uk

A GYM has been criticised after a 9/11-themed workout “tribute” appeared on one of its notice boards.

The sign was pictured at the Snap Fitness gym in Bridgend on the anniversar­y of the terrorist attack which killed almost 3,000 people.

One gym member described the sign as “completely insensitiv­e” and a “classless” way of marking the deadly attack.

The themed tribute appeared at the gym on a “workout of the week” board headed “9/11 tribute”.

It included a 2001m run, a number of exercises to be repeated 11 times, and ended with a 2001m row.

Another member, who did not want to be named, said: “I saw this sign and thought it was completely insensitiv­e for a company to commemorat­e the horrific events of 9/11 with a special ‘workout.’

“It totally missed the mark in terms of decency and appropriat­eness from Snap Fitness.

“I’m sure the intention was not to offend, but you would think that at least some member of staff there would identify that it is a completely classless way of commemorat­ing the tragic loss of so many lives.

“I think Snap Fitness should apologise for the mistake here and as a ‘make-good’ give a donation to one of the many great charities that helps the families of the victims of the horrific events of September 11, 2001.”

The sign was pictured on Wednesday last week, the 18th anniversar­y of the attacks in New York City, the Pentagon and Virginia.

A Snap Fitness spokesman said a young member wrote the workout on the whiteboard in the gym to encourage other members as a way to mark their respects and show support.

The spokesman said: “We apologise for anyone who has taken offence to this.

“This is a workout that is readily available online and happens across the country every single year and is a way for the fitness industry and enthusiast­s to mark their respects in the way they do best.

“This individual has not done this maliciousl­y but has done this with a kind heart and unfortunat­ely this has been taken out of context.”

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 ??  ?? The sign pictured at the gym
The sign pictured at the gym

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