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They have also appealed to the minister and to the secretary in the
municipality of the coastal city of
The young women are particularly concerned since they do not have the means to
go to 'official' gyms and believe this government decree will be bad for their
health.
That view was endorsed by Maha, who enrolled at a gym six months ago and lost
21 kilogrammes. While she said she has several pieces of gym equipment at home,
she prefers to go to a gym where she gains support and encouragement.
Another woman, Umm Abd al-Aziz said practising sport is a way of a "moment
of relief" and going to a fitness club is the only way to release the
tension accumulated at home.
"Where can we go now that the gyms are closing?" the woman asked.
Sara Abd al-Aziz asked why men are permitted to practise sport in gyms that do
not depend on a health authority, while women cannot, although they have the
same needs.
She said women actually have more need for sport than men since they experience
different phases of their lives, such as pregnancy and birth, and also suffer
from many pressures without finding any relief.
In response to the protests, the deputy-director of Jeddah's public relations
office, Ahmad al-Ghamidi, said the provincial secretary has the right to close
female gyms which lack the appropriate licenses, and said a regulatory body is
currently carrying out inspections to make sure they follow the rules.
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