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Six Maryland health clubs, including two in the Bethesda and Potomac areas, are facing administrative charges after they allegedly failed to renew their registrations with the Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, according to a statement from them Maryland Attorney General's office.
Montgomery County clubs include the D.C. Martial Arts Academies Inc. at 4825 Bethesda Avenue in Bethesda, Positive Impact Martial Arts at 11815 Seven Locks Road, Potomac and the Karate Club of America Inc. in Silver Spring. The other four clubs are the Elite Martial Arts Academy in Sunderland, the Island Athletic Club Inc. in Grasonville and the Wing Chun Kung Fu and Karate Academy of Maryland Inc. in Woodlawn.
Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced the charges last week. They alleged the clubs were in violation of a state law requiring health clubs, self-defense schools and weight loss centers to register with the Consumer Protection Division before selling services.
Registering with the division is geared to protect consumers, according to Gansler. "In these tough financial times, it is especially important to ensure that health clubs comply with registration and bonding requirements as this helps to protect consumers' financial health in the event that the club should go out of business," Gansler said in a statement.
The charges allege that the clubs sold health services during 2007 and 2008 while they were not registered, according to the statement.
The Office of the Attorney General will seek an order that will block the clubs from selling health services unless they register with the Consumer Protection Division and pay penalties. A public hearing will be held at 10 a.m., Oct. 15, at the Office of Administrative Hearings, 11101 Gilroy Road in Hunt Valley.
To learn whether a health club is registered with the Consumer Protection Division, visit the Office of the Attorney General's Web site at www.oag.state.md.us/Heathclub/consumeror call the Consumer Protection Division at 410-576-6350.