The closing of gymnasiums attached to beauty salons in the Eastern Province has led women to renew call for female-only sports clubs and fitness centers. According to Al-Hayat newspaper, authorities closed the locations, which were run as unofficial sections of health and beauty centers, for their failure to conform to Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs regulations which require medical supervision. “There are no licenses for these establishments to run fitness sections, and those that have been closed down were not legal,” said a spokesman for the mayoralty in the Eastern Province. “The ministry does not allow the operation of any gymnasium or fitness hall without supervision from a medical center.” The closures, which took place in Dammam, Khobar, Dhahran, Qatif and Jubail, have left women in the Eastern Province with few other affordable options and they have once again voiced requests for the General Presidency of Youth Welfare to create female-only sports clubs. “Although the closed fitness centers were not cheap compared to men's gyms, they were still far cheaper than the available alternatives,” said a woman. “Many male gyms only charge around SR200 for monthly membership, while we were paying around SR300 at the centers,” said Hiba Al-Hamad, a frequent user of one closed center. “Other places like specialized gyms charge women SR700 a month.” The ministry also shut down two out 15 similar establishments in Jeddah. __
