Boris Johnson Is Warned Of The Catastrophic Impact Of Keeping Gyms Closed

As the new UK lockdown measures are announced by the government, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson pens a letter to prime minister Boris Johnson, alerting of the catastrophic impact that keeping gyms and leisure facilities closed could have on communities.

THE government’s decision not to include gyms and indoor leisure facilities in the relaxing of lockdown measure in England scheduled for July 4 is met with growing criticism.

The baroness, who is chair of the non-profit leisure industry body Ukactive, claimed that failing to reopen sports centres and leisure facilities risks the closure of over 2800 of these facilities and more than 100,000 jobs are in danger. “To lose these facilities in the midst of the biggest health crisis could set back public health for a generation” she claimed.

The head of UK coaching Mark Gannon is also concerned over the government’s announcement and the health impact it will have on the already struggling communities. If the government really wants to make sport and physical activity available to everyone, Gannon doesn’t think they are showing it as he states “between the words they’ve given to the sector and their actions yesterday, there appears to be a disconnect.”