Claim: Equinox Group owns Pure Yoga and politically controversial SoulCycle, both introduced to Japan in 2008.
Evidence: SoulCycle is a New York City-based fitness company owned by Equinox Group which offers indoor cycling workout classes. It was founded in 2006, and has operations in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In August 2019, reports that SoulCycle investor and former majority owner Stephen M. Ross would be hosting a planned fundraiser for Donald Trump's re-election campaign prompted a spokesperson to distance the company from the event and led to boycott threats. In November 2020, current and former SoulCycle employees and customers alleged that several of the company's instructors made racist and homophobic remarks and fat shaming comments toward other staff and customers, but the company refused to take action against them due to their brand value. Equinox Group is an American luxury fitness company which operates several lifestyle brands: Equinox, Equinox Hotels, Precision Run, Project by Equinox, Equinox Explore, Equinox Media, Furthermore, PURE Yoga, Blink Fitness, and SoulCycle. In 2008, Equinox brought Pure Yoga to the United States from Hong Kong, which it operates separately.