As many as 43 percent of Poles limited their physical activity during lockdown, mainly due to the closing of sports facilities. Almost 40 percent has not taken any activity in the last 30 days, according to the MultiSport Index Pandemia study. Optimistic, however, is that 85 percent. Poles, i.e. about 27 million people, intend to exercise more often after the pandemic ends, and as many as 9.5 million plan to use sports and recreation facilities immediately after their re-opening. Gyms, swimming pools and fitness clubs are already preparing to receive customers in the new sanitary regime, which will take place from June 6.

 “I hope that the gym's return to normal will be quite fast. All fitness clubs, the entire industry is getting ready for this,” Wojciech Szwarc from the Federation of Fitness Employers, said.

Gyms, fitness clubs and swimming pools have been closed since March 14, when the government introduced an epidemic emergency. According to the Federation of Fitness Employers, maintaining a lockdown until June 1 will cost gyms and fitness clubs to lose 43 percent of their annual revenues, i.e. PLN 1.8 billion. On the other hand, if another pandemic wave occurs in the autumn and sports facilities are closed again, the industry will lose a total of about PLN 2.2 billion.

“We are entering the summer period, which for the sports industry is a less intense period, because people are rather not exercising in the buildings, but go outside. This year, however, the situation may be different. Much fewer Poles will travel abroad, which is why we hope that more people will visit sports facilities – not only fitness clubs, but also climbing walls, swimming pools, yoga studios and dance schools,” Wojciech Szwarc added.

(Newseria)