DC Attorney General Karl Racine filed a lawsuit against the parent company of Washington Sports Club, asserting that its location in Dupont Circle failed to comply with the District’s COVID-19 safety guidelines.
According to the complaint, the gym failed to follow the city’s mask requirement, enforce proper social distancing and adequately disinfect equipment.
“District law requires businesses to comply with health and safety requirements that are necessary to reduce the spread of coronavirus and to protect employees and consumers,” Racine said in a statement.
“The overwhelming majority of D.C. businesses comply with D.C. law. Washington Sports Club’s reckless disregard of these measures not only endangers its staff and patrons, but also all District residents. My office will continue to hold businesses who do not adhere to measures designed to combat spread of COVID-19 accountable,” he continued.
New TSI Holdings, Inc., a New York-based company, operates three Washington Sports Club locations in DC; in Columbia Heights, Dupont Circle, and Glover Park.
The business’ website misled people, making it look like customers do not have to wear a face covering while inside the gym as long as they keep a distance of more than 12 feet from each other, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) claimed in the suit.
This is not the first time Racine has filed a complaint against the gym chain. Its previous owner, Town Sports International, was sued by the OAG in January 2019 over deceptive business practices such as continuing to charge customers after they canceled their membership.
A second lawsuit was filed against Town Sports International as the club’s owner in August 2020 “for failing to credit fees and cancel gym memberships while gyms were closed when the pandemic started and the Mayor issued a stay-at-home order,” the OAG said in a release.
DC Sues Washington Sports Club Over Charges During COVID-19 Shutdown