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Imperia. “The gyms are controlled places, did not cause the increase in infections, they could reopen “. It is the desperate appeal of the managers of gyms in the Imperia area, who have had to face huge expenses to follow to the letter all the measures provided for by the various protocols issued (sanitization, cleaning of the premises, installation of dispensers with sanitizing gels for hand cleaning, special signs on the rules of behavior to follow, sanitizing of tools) but have been closed for months.
«It takes very little to help us, it would be enough if they allowed us to reopen to be able to bear all the expenses and perhaps we will be able to do it. It’s been a tough year, practically we only worked three months, the summer ones, in which we did little work. We hope for a possible reopening, even if looking at the current data it seems almost unlikely. On March 5 the Dpcm expires, we will see what the new government will decide, even if a minister for sport has not been appointed, it would be enough to choose a competent technician who knows how things work in the world of sport – dice Davide Raineri, owner of the Mistral gym in Imperia – Italy has decided to sacrifice sport, while in other countries the gyms are open and you can ski. It would be enough that a technical undersecretary gave us precise rules to follow and then allowed us to always keep open. Till now we have incurred many expenses to comply with the anti Covid-19 regulations, but in the end they forced us to stay closed. However, the infections have increased, this shows that it is not the fault of the gyms, so in my opinion they could make us reopen. Also they are few aid arrived, only 20% and now everything is stopped. Draghi has promised not to leave the world of sport, but at the moment there is a lot of resignation».
The gyms have been completely forgotten by the institutions. «They should allow us to open up, following all the strict protocols envisaged in September, you can very well play sports in complete safety. We spent thousands of euros for sanitizing, cleaning the premises, installing dispensers with sanitizing gels for cleaning hands, sanitizing tools and in return we only had a grant that was not enough even to pay all expenses – he claims David D’Ambrosio of Indomitable Sanremo – It could reopen by keeping the distance and following all the rules. Gyms are safe and controlled places, even more than supermarkets. We can measure the temperature at the entrance, we have a register of entries and exits, which are contingent and staggered, at the end of each shift half an hour is dedicated to sanitation, so we can continue to do what we started doing before closing definitive. Although there is still nothing concrete, I hope they decide to let us open as soon as possible, especially for the athletes and young people that have the right to train and keep fit. It is unfair that only agonists can train. It is important that children are able to return to the gym, go to school and do not have the opportunity to let off steam, suffer at home and do not do any physical activity, spend time in front of the television, computer or telephone. That’s no good, all, but especially children, they must have the opportunity to play sports ».
Gyms are among the most penalized sectors. “If they reopen us, the real sporting season will resume in September because the sporting year has almost come to an end, we we work nine to ten months a year and summer is the time when you work less. Last summer we only worked 20% and when we finally reached some kind of normality they closed us. Many people had already paid for their monthly subscription and could not take advantage of it. When we reopen obviously we will recover the fees paid, whoever paid for a month will recover it – points out D’Ambrosio – We also wonder if people will return when we can reopen. We will have to reorganize ourselves to recreate a clientele. It’s a complicated and uncertain situation “.
Gyms are essential to prevent risk factors related to the virus and to spread physical and psychological well-being. «We have doubts about a possible reopening in March, we had no guarantee, and if they decided to let us open we were talking only about individual lessons, a highly limiting solution, given that we have been closed for five months. The paradox is that there have been no outbreaks inside the gyms, as has been shown by various researches, unfortunately they have only created alarmism, no one has indicated a justified reason why we must stay closed compared to other activities, just indicate lines guide to follow and will be followed to the letter as we have done so far. The attendances are tracked and in the end it is always the same people who use the gyms, therefore they are controllable places. Furthermore physical activity creates an improvement in the psycho-physical state, the continuous closure deprives people of their right to train with a person who can follow them safely, also because those who train alone risk getting hurt – comments Lorenzo Tornatore, president of the association Atlas – Grab&Lift a Bordighera – After forcing us to adapt the gyms to the protocols and forcing our customers to get used to the new behaviors indicated by the strict guidelines, the gyms were closed again. The situation is not easy, here we are also adapted to do online or outdoor lessons, but we are unable to fully cover the costs of running a business. Not all the expected aid has arrived and everything has stopped since December. Also, from the first lockdown to the second final closure, many people never went back to the gym, I personally lost 60 percent of subscribers. We do not understand how it is possible that everything is open and we are not, despite the fact that we have been given a very strict protocol to follow. After five months of closure people have lost the habit and it will be difficult for them to return immediately, because they will have to get used to it again and it will not be easy. QThere was some protest demonstration but it was subdued. We hope for a change ».
Some gym owners will take to the streets for ask to be able to reopen safely, for complain about the lack of aid and the lack of a minister for sport in the new Draghi government. «We have been closed for five months and so on Saturday we organized a protest demonstration in Piazza Montecitorio in Rome. More than 10 thousand workers are out of work, the situation is unsustainable, we want concrete answers. Furthermore we will ask for a minister of sport to be appointed – declares Fabrizio Pertile dell’A.s.d. Gym Tonic a Camporosso Mare – Gyms are not the cause of Covid-19 infections, if in March they don’t let us open, most of us risk closing their doors forever. The gyms are places where people can improve their health by strengthening the immune system it can decrease the risk of getting sick. Physical activity is therefore essential ».
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