China gym cancels & refunds man's membership after body odour complaints, offers membership to another gym

About a year after signing up for a gym membership, a man in Hangzhou, China, was told the facility would be terminating it due to repeated complaints from other members about his body odour.

"Recently, we received feedback from many customers that the strong smell inside the facility has seriously impeded their workout," the gym said in a message to him, shared on local media.

They not only refunded him for the remainder of his membership period, but also gave him a three-year membership card for a different gym.

Workout enthusiast

The man, surnamed Shi, paid RMB6,388 (S$1,125) for the membership in May 2025 for three years until the end of April 2028, South China Morning Post reported.

On Jun. 20, 2026, he received the message to stop using the facility, and a refund of RMB3,888 (S$740).

Shi told local media that he used to be very heavy until he lost weight from 125kg to 80kg about 10 years ago.

He has since become passionate about working out and would do so regularly.

Before his membership was terminated there, he went to the gym five times a week.

Sweats a lot

The gym told local media that Shi would sweat a lot when he worked out there, and give off a strong odour.

A bad smell would linger around machines that he had just used or passed by, according to many other members.

Other members would avoid using the treadmills near the machine he had used.

The gym said it had once allocated exercise equipment in the corner just for his use, and asked him to come during non-peak hours, but the complaints continued.

Shi admitted that he does sweat more than most people, but he would use two or three towels to wipe his sweat.

He would also place a disposable towel provided by the gym over equipment to prevent getting sweat everywhere.

"I am a serious fitness enthusiast," Shi said. "If this gym is not a place for serious fitness enthusiasts, it would be good if they could just say so."

As the gym is near his home, he hopes to speak to the boss and possibly work out a solution so that he could continue going to the gym.