****** and Bad Management

My husband was attacked at the gym by another member last week Tuesday while he was recording his own gymming session. My husband is recording his own transformation journey and always makes sure the camera is directed at him only. This member was all the way on the other side of the gym, more than 200m from my husband, in a totally different section of the gym but came attacking my husband about having his camera recording himself.

My husband only records himself, he has discussed this with virgin active employees prior who confirmed that he can record himself but must try to not include others which he does not as this is totally understandable with the popi act. We all go to public places and even when you take a picture at a restaurant, you would obviously not record others.

When this member did not get the response he wanted from my husband, he then went on to report my husband to one of the virgin active employees.

When my husband approached the member and the employee, he explained that he does not record anyone else but himself and that he has already discussed this with the employees at Virgin and they have explained how to record and not including others.

Virgin active has a sign saying no paparazzi, my husband records himself only, he is recording his own transformation journey. If you go on any social media platform there are millions of people all over the word recording their gym sessions. The member then tells my husband to go be a taxi driver if he cannot read. This is a racial slur in the presence of the virgin active employee and is one that is unacceptable particularly in South Africa.

This Virgin active employee at this point does not stop or reprimand the member for what he just said, my husband then pushes the member. At this point the employee sides with the member who uttered the racial slur and goes on to go hand my husband a document to complete and completely sided with the member who altered a racial slur just because he is white.

We were told this issue would be investigated, we were told it would take 48 hours, It's been a week since they have taken this to their legal team, my husband has been suspended from the gym for a week and still no response as to way forward. We don't get anyone from Virgin active updating us, next week Tuesday will be 2 weeks since my husband was last at the gym. We email the general manager, we have to chase her just to get feedback. When she does eventually respond after I have to go to the gym to ask for her, she says it out of her hands.

When I called the general manger of the gym, she was rude and dismissive. When I asked her about the employee who clearly had no training as to handle any situation especially a racial one at the gym, she sarcastically asked me if I want the employee to apologise to my husband in a patronising way.

What is so difficult about this? The employee was present during the altercation, they have cameras? Why can they not give us an answer a week later as to what happens next.

The gym is suppose to be a place of recreation but instead we have to face racial issues from members, employees and even management? Disgusting that this is still happening in 2023.

My husband is a paying member and it is obvious that you only care about money and not your members because if this was not the case, you would having training for your employees and you would encourage inclusivity at the gym.