GoodLife Fitness is investigating an incident at its Windsor, Ontario location after a Sikh man, Gurpartap Singh Khalsa, was allegedly forced to leave the facility for carrying a kirpan, a ceremonial article of faith. The incident, which occurred on July 15, 2026, has sparked widespread discussion online regarding religious accommodations and private property rights.
According to reports from Now Toronto and Juno News, the fitness chain has stated that the employee’s actions did not reflect its established practices. However, the company has also reportedly vowed not to terminate the staff member involved in the altercation.
The confrontation was captured in a TikTok video posted by Khalsa, which quickly went viral. In the video, a female employee at the Windsor Douglas location tells Khalsa he must leave because his kirpan—a ceremonial blade worn by initiated Sikhs—is considered a weapon. “What I’m saying is you have a weapon on your person, a member has brought it to my attention, and for the safety of me and everybody else in the gym, I’m asking you to leave,” the employee states, adding that as a private club, GoodLife is permitted to deny access.
Khalsa questioned why he was initially allowed to enter the facility if the item was prohibited, to which the employee responded that she had not noticed it when he first arrived. Khalsa, who alleged racial profiling, stated in a subsequent video that the employee threatened to call the police, though officers did not arrive before he eventually departed the premises.
In a statement to Now Toronto, GoodLife Fitness emphasized its commitment to providing a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment. “The interaction shown in the video reflects a situation where our established practices were not applied as intended,” the company said, reaffirming its compliance with Canadian human rights laws. Meanwhile, an exclusive report by Juno News revealed that GoodLife has vowed not to fire the employee, indicating an effort to resolve the issue through policy reviews rather than termination.