Gym bans trainer after groping video surfaces

A gym has banned a personal trainer from its premises after a video emerged showing him touching a woman while training her.

Yoga instructor investigated for sexual misconduct: Trust Yoga

The Apeiro Performance fitness center on Prinsep Street issued a statement to Coconuts Singapore today stating that it was concerned by the inappropriate conduct of the freelance trainer and has banned him from using its facilities since Sunday. 

“We are deeply concerned by what we are hearing that an inappropriate conduct of one of Apeiro freelance trainers who undermined the well-being of one of its clients,” gym founder Habib Noh said. He did not identify who the trainer was. 

“Apeiro [has] banned the alleged freelance trainer from using our gym facilitation to conduct his own personal training sessions, with take effect from August 2nd, 2020,” he added. 

A video of the incident was posted on Instagram yesterday by another of the gym’s freelance personal trainers named Cheryl Loh. Loh said that she has reached out to the woman in the incident and has gotten her permission to share her experience. However, the woman will not be making a police report, she added. 

According to Loh, it was also the unnamed woman’s first time engaging a coach. Chat exchanges between both women showed the gym client describing her experience as “uncomfortable” and that she had told the male trainer multiple times to stop touching her. 

The woman has apparently already paid for several sessions with the male trainer. 

Loh did not immediately respond to Coconuts Singapore’s request for comment. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

❌ / — — ❌ When the other party is not comfortable with such action, this is considered a case of sexual assault. It is a very serious offence in Singapore, and unfortunately this has happened way too many times with coaches abusing their position and authority to do things like that. I personally consider this more despicable and disturbing than molesting a stranger – this is using the student’s trust to commit such an act, which can really mindfuck a person for a long time. The coach in this video is a freelance trainer working by himself, and is not an employee of the gym. I have reached out to the client (swipe to second image) to let her know that it is NOT normal for such physical interaction during training, it is very unprofessional, and that she can speak up if she have felt uncomfortable about her coach touching inappropriately and groping during some exercises. Also spoke to her (not on text), and it turned out this was indeed her first time having a coach, facing such situation for the first time. “don’t touch my butt” a few times over 7 training sessions, but he still went ahead to do so, using “checking muscles” as an excuse – which many trainers will know that’s complete BS. from using the gym space to conduct his own PT sessions – with effect from 2 August – and the client has now stopped training with him. She will not be making a police report, but she has given me the permission to share about this as she also wants all women, girls, or even guys out there to know that this behaviour is not acceptable and that nobody should put up with any actions that make them feel uneasy, uncomfortable, and disrespected. Anyone that feels this way should speak up and not let the perpetrator has his/her way. #ShareThisPost I am very glad that @apeirolife doesn’t tolerate such behaviour, and I’m happy to be conducting my PT sessions in a safe, fun, and professional space with other likeminded professional trainers. _

A post shared by Cheryl Loh | Personal Trainer (@cherylfit_sg) on Aug 3, 2020 at 4:34am PDT

Loh said: “Also spoke to her (not on text), and it turned out this was indeed her first time having a coach, facing such situation for the first time. She told him ‘don’t touch my butt’ a few times over 7 training sessions, but he still went ahead to do so, using ‘checking muscles’ as an excuse – which many trainers will know that’s complete [bullshit].”

Habib Noh also said that the gym will lend support to the alleged victim or in any investigations even though the woman was not a direct client. 

“We will actively support and protect any member of the gym who comes forward with information or allegations about misconduct,” he added.

“Moving forward, it is our commitment that Apeiro Performance will do everything to take swift action to improve our policies against harassment or sexual misconduct, as well as to improve our dedication to create the best environment for both our members and fitness professionals.”

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