Congressional Failure to Act Could Cost Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs

WASHINGTON, D.C.—August 7, 2020—Today, on the eve of the end of the Paycheck Protection Program, Joe Moore, president and CEO of the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), released the following statement:

“On Saturday, the federal government will turn off the tap on the Paycheck Protection Program. Sadly, for many of the men and women who work in the fitness industry, this is a tap they were never able to access.

“From the very beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, state and local governments moved quickly to shut down health and fitness businesses. This had a devastating impact on the industry, which is comprised overwhelmingly of small individual operators. Unlike many other businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, health and fitness clubs could not pivot to new revenue streams.

“To add insult to injury, Congress inexplicably left much of the fitness industry unable to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program. As a result, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost and as a direct result of Congressional failure to fix this problem—hundreds of thousands of more jobs will be lost.

“Despite some of the media caricatures, the problem facing the fitness industry isn’t simply about people wanting to go back to the gym to workout, this is about saving the jobs of millions of men and women who work in the fitness industry.

“We urge Congress to put aside the partisan posturing, return to Washington, and take the legislative action necessary to save jobs.”

About IHRSA

IHRSA, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, is a not-for-profit trade association representing the global fitness industry of over 200,000 health and fitness facilities and their suppliers.

IHRSA maintains a leadership role in advancing physical activity, which is critical to peak health and fight the battle against obesity and chronic lifestyle disease. As one of the world's leading authorities on the commercial health club industry, IHRSA’s mission is to grow, promote, and protect the health and fitness industry, while providing its members with benefits and resources. IHRSA and its members are devoted to making the world happier, healthier, and more prosperous through regular exercise and activity promotion.