Singapore, November 6th
A Singapore gym, part of the US F45 training franchise, apologized for a “race-insensitive” Diwali video posted on its Instagram account.
The Serangoon Garden suburban housing development studio posted a 14-second video on its Instagram story of two women shaking their heads as they said “Happy Deepavali,” according to a Channel News report Asia (CNA).
Some onlookers hinted at the side-to-side head shaking as a no to the festivities during Diwali, which is one of the official festival celebrations with a full day’s vacation in a multiracial Singapore.
The widespread video, after being republished on other accounts, has since been deleted from the studio’s site.
In a separate Instagram story on Friday, the gym said it has “received feedback that this video is race insensitive”.
“F45 has always been a family-friendly and fun place to train and we shoot a lot of funny videos with our members,” it says.
“Our intention was never to make fun of us or to hurt the feelings of others. Diwali is the festival of lights and love,” the broadcaster quoted F45 as saying.
The gym added that it is “very sorry for the mistake and hope to beg your forgiveness”. PTI
