TBILISI, October 13 – Georgia’s Public Defender, Levan Ioseliani, has sharply criticized the owner of a popular gym chain after the business refused to serve a Russian citizen. Ioseliani said the country’s laws prohibit discrimination on any grounds, including nationality.
The dispute began after a Russian citizen filed a complaint on September 19, claiming that Reformer Fitness, a private gym company, had denied them access to its services. Ioseliani’s office requested a written explanation from the company’s director, Giorgi Putkaradze, as part of a standard anti-discrimination inquiry.
Putkaradze responded publicly, stating that his business “will not serve citizens of the occupying country unless they confirm in writing their respect for the sovereignty of Georgia and Ukraine.” He argued that private businesses have the right to choose their clients.
In a statement released Sunday, the Ombudsman’s Office accused Reformer Fitness of using the controversy for “personal goals,” exploiting the sensitive issue of Georgia’s occupation by Russia, and spreading a “false narrative” aimed at discrediting the Public Defender’s institution.
The statement emphasized that Georgia’s Law on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination, adopted in 2014 as part of the country’s EU Association Agreement, applies to both public and private entities offering services to the public. It also reaffirmed that the principle of equality extends to all people regardless of citizenship or origin.
“The Public Defender is not only authorized but obligated to examine every complaint submitted to the office,” the statement said, stressing that ignoring complaints based on nationality, including those from Russian citizens, would violate both international and Georgian law.
