Peloton Apologizes for Halloween-Themed Ride

Peloton has issued an apology regarding its Halloween-related “Varosha Ride” and has subsequently removed the class, as reported on Friday.

The 15-minute ride, which featured no instructor, was added to the Halloween collection on October 28. Lena Argiri, the Washington correspondent for Greek public broadcaster ERT and Kathimerini, shared the company’s response to the backlash the following day.

According to Argiri, Peloton described the class as “an oversight that does not reflect our values.” The company also stated it would enhance its editorial review process.

Endy Zemenides, executive director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, commented on Thursday that the ride trivialized a Cypriot city that was vacated during the Turkish invasion in 1974.

“Varosha is not a haunted amusement park,” he stated.

Zemenides emphasized that families once lived in those buildings and that the displaced residents have not been allowed to return. He noted that the abandoned homes and hotels should not be thought of as Halloween decorations, adding that other scenic classes typically include brief narrations to provide context, something this ride lacked. He suggested alternative locations on the Greek Cypriot side of the island, including the Akamas Peninsula, the Troodos Mountains, and Paphos.

The company promoted its Halloween season with the tagline “Too good to ghost,” featuring 21 themed workouts crammed into the last 11 days of October. Participants could earn a badge by completing any of these workouts through Halloween.

Another ride paired Varosha with locations like Romania’s Bran Castle, a cemetery in Savannah, a prison island in Goli Otok, a Colorado mine, and even a storm at sea, all narrated for 30 minutes by instructor Bradley Rose.

Varosha, a suburb of Famagusta, has remained deserted for 52 years. The UN Security Council has passed resolutions, specifically 550 in 1984 and 789 in 1992, declaring that no one but the original residents should resettle the district.

Currently, the district is included in ongoing negotiations. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides aims to transfer the fenced area to the United Nations while opening Famagusta’s port to direct trade under EU oversight. However, Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman recently rejected this proposal, calling it unbalanced.

“Why is this being made a trade-off for giving Varosha to UN administration?” he questioned.

Christodoulides labeled Erdogan as the “great obstacle” to achieving any agreement, claiming the Turkish president seeks a deal outside of UN discussions.