Fitness group under fire for using Kenyans as workout 'props'

Skinny Bitch Collective scrutinised over retreat videos

The Skinny Bitch Collective (SBC), a prominent fitness group, has faced criticism over Instagram videos that showed white women exercising in Kenya and apparently using local people as workout “props”.

Russell Bateman, the trainer who founded the clique, reportedly posted the videos online before deleting them after they attracted criticism.

The fitness coach has now deleted his @russellsbc Instagram account, but the popular @dietprada fashion critic account reposted a series of the original images it said had been taken in Kenya.

Videos and photos appeared to show the women attending a retreat in “the ancestral lands of the indigenous Maasai tribe”, exercising and sometimes incorporating Kenyan people into their fitness routines.

Some local people, wearing apparently traditional clothing, can be seen in the background of other routines, occasionally jumping in accompaniment or simply remaining still as the women exercise.

“They... managed to use the local Maasai people not only as a backdrop, but as literal props in their fitness routines,” the @dietprada account said.

The SBC’s Instagram and Twitter accounts appear to have been deleted following a backlash, with multiple commenters online accusing the brand for behaving in a disrespectful fashion towards Kenyan people.

The brand’s website said it was “down for maintenance” on Monday. A snippet of content available in Google results billed SBC as “nothing short of a global phenomenon”.

Mr Bateman posted an apology on the SBC Instagram account prior to its deletion, according to ABC News and other reports.

“The location of the retreat was within the ancestral lands of the indigenous Maasai tribe,” he said in the statement.

“Since the retreat was taking place within their territory, we were required to be accompanied by members of the tribe at all times.

“Our intention was to promote a cross-cultural exchange through shared experiences and to highlight the beauty of Kenya and it’s (sic) indigenous peoples.

“However, having taking a step back, we accept and understand that our content fell well short of this aim and lacked appropriate cultural sensitivity by reinforcing colonial era depictions of people of colour.”

The London-based trainer’s fitness group is known for its exclusivity and has attracted a cult following.

Mr Bateman added that he was “distraught” about the reaction to the its Kenya trip.