Sports Center Regulations criminalize marketing or use of performance-enhancing drugs

RIYADH — Proposed amendments to Sports Center Regulations criminalize the marketing of performance-enhancing drugs, prohibit their use within sports centers, and place greater emphasis on safeguarding teenagers and people with disabilities, while also preventing gender mixing.The amendments, submitted by the Ministry of Sports, grant the ministry’s inspectors broad authority to conduct unannounced inspections, review records and data, and address violations. Penalties for non-compliant sports centers may include partial or complete closure.Under the proposed regulations, members of sports centers are entitled to terminate their contracts and receive a refund for the remaining membership period if the center fails to fulfill its obligations or if a branch closes without providing an alternative location. Members are also eligible for a refund if they sustain an injury while exercising that prevents them from continuing their activities.The amendments further require sports centers to implement measures to protect individuals under the age of 18, including obtaining explicit parental consent for memberships. They also mandate the installation of surveillance cameras throughout the facilities and require all staff members to maintain good conduct.