Gym Owners Considering Suing The State Over Pandemic Restrictions

Gym owners are considering filing a lawsuit against the Icelandic government due to coronavirus restrictions, which they say has cost them considerable losses, RÚV reports.

Restrictions on visiting gyms have been in effect since early October, and are not likely to let up until January 12th. Yesterday’s announcement that pools will open tomorrow, but not gyms, has apparently troubled many gym owners.

“We’ve been in contact with some lawyers and they are all of the same mind,” Jakobína Jónsdóttir, one of the owners of the Grandi 101 gym, told Rás 2 radio. “We’re looking at equality regulations where the government is required to ensure equality in the legal sense. We believe that this was not done, for example by opening swimming pools where up to 350 people can be in the pool.”

Health Minister Svandís Svavarsdóttir defended the decision, saying that it was taken with the aim of stemming the pandemic.

“We believe we have justified this in referencing general knowledge of how infections spread, first of all,” she told Rás 2. “This is the aim of our operations. And also the results of contact tracing and the like. So this is the logic behind it. On the other hand, everyone has the right to pursue their rights and present their point of view.”

Note: Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on tourism in Iceland, it’s become increasingly difficult for the Grapevine to survive. If you enjoy our content and want to help the Grapevine’s journalists do things like eat and pay rent, please consider joining our High Five Club.

You can also check out our shop, loaded with books, apparel and other cool merch, that you can buy and have delivered right to your door.