Chinese gym cancels man’s membership over body odour, refunds most of his fee

3 min readNew DelhiJul 3, 2026 05:56 PM IST

Shi purchased a three-year gym membership in May 2025 for 6,388 yuan (around Rs 89,662 or US$940), which was supposed to remain valid until April 2028.

People around the world spend billions on deodorants, perfumes and grooming products to smell pleasant. But for one fitness enthusiast in China, body odour became such a serious issue that his gym decided it could no longer keep him as a member. Instead, it refunded most of his fee and even handed him a complimentary three-month membership at another gym.

The man, identified only by his surname Shi, is from Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. According to the South China Morning Post, citing local broadcaster Zhejiang TV, Shi purchased a three-year gym membership in May 2025 for 6,388 yuan (around Rs 89,662 or US$940), which was supposed to remain valid until April 2028.

Shi said fitness has been a major part of his life for years. After losing 45kg about a decade ago — reducing his weight from 125 kg to 80 kg — he developed a passion for exercise and regularly participated in different sports. Following his enrolment at the gym, he worked out there five days every week. However, on June 20, Shi received an unexpected message informing him that his membership was being cancelled because of repeated complaints from other members about his body odour.

“We thought it through carefully for a long time before making this decision. We will refund your money for the remaining time of your membership period,” the gym wrote.

The message added, “We are already under pressure to do business amid the economic downturn, and we are trying to treat each customer well. But many customers repeatedly complained to us that the strong odour in the gym had affected them. So we have to end your membership.”

Gym refunds $570

Shi was refunded 3,888 yuan (around US$570 or Rs 54,572) for the unused portion of his membership. Along with the refund, the gym also gave him a three-month membership card for another fitness centre.

Speaking to local media, the gym said Shi perspired heavily during workouts, and many members complained that a strong smell lingered around the equipment he had just used or whenever he walked past. According to the gym, some people even avoided using treadmills or exercise machines located near him.

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The management said it had explored different ways to address the issue before deciding to cancel his membership. Staff reportedly reserved equipment in a separate corner for Shi and encouraged him to visit during less crowded hours, but complaints from other members continued.

Shi acknowledged that he sweats excessively but said he always tried to minimise the inconvenience to others. He explained that he carried multiple towels to wipe away sweat and covered gym equipment while exercising so it would not bother fellow members.

Despite everything, Shi said he wanted to continue using the same gym because it was close to where he lived. Hoping for a resolution, he later shared his experience on a popular programme aired by Zhejiang TV, asking for help in settling the matter.