Gym operator Snap Fitness is considering legal action after a controversy surrounding the sacking of a former club manager while he represented Australia overseas.
The brother of Jonathan Barrientos has claimed on Facebook the gym manager was unfairly dismissed after getting approval for leave to compete in the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Colombia.
Futsal is a modified version of five-a-side soccer.
"Absolutely disgusting! My brother goes to represent his country, fulfil a dream & then gets fired from his job after his time off was initially approved," Carlos Barrientos said in the post.
He later added he would not stop "until justice is served".
But a spokesman for Snap Fitness on Wednesday told AAP the Craigieburn franchisee dismissed Barrientos for performance and conduct issues - not because he was representing Australia.
A Facebook post from Snap, since deleted, congratulating Barrientos for representing Australia. He is seen commenting against being sacked (Facebook) Source: Facebook
The spokesman said the issue had been dealt with through third-party mediation and Snap Fitness believed the dismissal complied with Fair Work regulations.
"Snap Fitness Australia encourages employees and its members to strive in their personal pursuits and that planned leave had no bearing on the decision," the spokesman said.
The fitness chain is considering defamation action against those who made "incorrect statements" about Barrientos' dismissal, he added.
Carlos' Facebook post was shared almost 600 times, including on two pages with more than 10,000 likes.
Barrientos has been contacted for comment.
At the World Cup, Australia missed the knockout rounds after losing two of their three group matches.
Barrientos currently plays his domestic futsal for the Vic Vipers, and the club’s general manager Garry Liakoureas said the entire situation was “unfortunate” and reiterated that his charge was “the best of people” who financed his own trips abroad for club and country.
“Jon has represented the state and national teams on several occasions, and had to make many sacrifices along the way,” he told SBS.
“I’ve travelled around the world with Jon as an amateur and I know what it’s like to fork out of your own pocket to pay for these sorts of trips (to Colombia), to go to these national tournaments and leagues. To leave your work and family is tough.”
