From roll-ons to luxury perfumes, the world spends a fortune trying to smell good. But in China, one man's body odour proved too strong for the market to fix. His gym not only cancelled his membership and returned his deposit, it also sent him packing with a free three-month pass to work out somewhere else.
The man, identified only as Shi, lives in Hangzhou in eastern China's Zhejiang province. In May 2025, he paid 6,388 yuan (about Rs 89,900 or US$940) for a three-year gym membership valid until the end of April 2028, The South China Morning Post reported, citing local media Zhejiang TV.
Shi said he had lost a lot of weight a decade ago, dropping from 125kg to 80kg. Since then, he became a workout enthusiast and took part in various sports regularly. After joining the gym, Shi exercised there five times a week.
But on June 20, he received a message from the gym informing him that his membership was being terminated after a slew of complaints about the strong smell inside the facility caused by him.
"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 told Shi.
The message continued: "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."
Shi said he received 3,888 yuan (US$570) from the gym as well as a three-month membership card to another gym.
The gym where Shi used to work out told the media that he sweated heavily and gave off a strong body odour. Many members complained of a clear, unpleasant smell around the machines Shi had just used or when he walked past. People avoided the treadmills near any equipment he was on or had finished using.
The gym said it had tried setting aside equipment in a corner for him and asked him to come during quieter times. But the complaints continued. Shi admitted he sweats a lot.
He said he usually brings several towels to wipe his sweat and cover the equipment so it does not affect other people. He said he had hoped to keep using his old gym because it was close to his home. Shi took his story to a well-known local TV programme on Zhejiang TV, hoping they could help solve the problem.
