#GoalPress
Copacabana, Brazil – She was 22 years old, apparently healthy, with her whole life ahead of her. She entered her training routine like any other day, but never left the gym. Last Tuesday, May 20, a young Brazilian woman lost her life after collapsing suddenly in the weight area of a sports center in Copacabana. Security cameras captured the tragic moment; after sitting down with difficulty on one of the machines, she showed signs of distress, fell backward, and hit her head.
Around her, several gym-goers immediately tried to assist. Among them even a doctor who was training in the same place. But it was all in vain since the gym did not have an AED (Automated External Defibrillator), a basic and mandatory device in many countries to help in cases of cardiac arrest. Without it, resuscitation efforts were futile.
A pattern repeating itself
This case is not isolated. In recent weeks the news has been filled with similar headlines. From Mexico to the United States, through Europe, episodes of sudden death in sports centers are on the rise. An influencer, a young mother, a man just starting fitness… all these stories had one thing in common, the absence of proper protocols and equipment for cardiovascular emergencies.
Wellness professionals beyond motivation
The Copacabana tragedy exposes a logistical failure but also an urgent need to redefine the culture of wellness. Wellness professionals—trainers, physiotherapists, nutritionists, and coaches—both in person and online, must take a more active role in risk prevention. It is not enough to motivate achieving aesthetic or performance goals. We must train, educate, and demand safe conditions.
At GoalValor, leading platform for personal transformation challenges and showcase of certified professionals’ online services, this vision is at the heart of our proposal; wellness is not just a goal, it is also a collective responsibility for both provider and consumer.
Where is your AED?
In Italy, for example, the law mandates an AED in sports facilities along with trained personnel to use it. Yet in practice many gyms still do not comply. Often out of neglect, other times to cut costs. But what is the value of a life?
A defibrillator is not a luxury; it is a minimum standard. Its absence can mean the difference between a terrifying anecdote and a story of survival. That is why, from GoalValor, we issue a clear recommendation: if your gym does not display an AED visibly, ask questions, demand answers, raise the conversation. It is an act of love for yourself, your workout partners, and that future we are all striving to build through willpower, sweat, and perseverance.
Towards a conscious wellness culture
It is time to move from an image culture to a safety culture. Let challenges not only be losing weight or gaining muscle but also transforming indifference into action. Let wellness inspirers not only promote outward change but also basic health protocols that save lives.
Because when it comes to wellness, the difference between a good day and a tragedy may depend on a decision as simple as having an AED in sight.
