LA Fitness issued an apology after two black patrons were wrongly accused of not paying at a New Jersey club and were asked to leave, CNN reported.
Tshyrad Oates posted videos of the encounter, which occurred Sunday in Secaucus, New Jersey, on Facebook. Oates said he had a guest pass and his friend was a current member. Oates said in his Facebook post that a manager told them they were banned and his friend’s membership was revoked “immediately.”
Police were called to the fitness club, but no arrests were made, CNN reported.
The incident comes a week after two men were handcuffed at a Philadelphia Starbucks after the store manager called police because the men hadn't ordered anything.
LA Fitness, in a statement Thursday, said there was confusion among the employees at the club.
"Clearly, (Oates’ workout partner) is a long-time member, with a current, valid membership. We want to clarify that no membership was canceled and no one, including the member's guest, was banned from the club."
A spokeswoman for Fitness International, the parent company of LA Fitness, said the three employees involved in the incident are no longer with the company, according to The Associated Press.
LA Fitness said it has apologized to the current member, assuring him that "he and his guests are welcome in our clubs at all times."
"We are currently exploring potential training content and opportunities to better train our staff," the company said.
About the Author
