Joey Swoll calls out “very upsetting” gym video that led to 14-year-old being bullied

Fitness TikToker Joey Swoll says he was sent a gym video that ended with a 14-year-old boy being bullied by kids at his school and it was “very upsetting.”

As one of the biggest fitness influencers on the internet, Joey Swoll uses his platform to promote gym positivity and hit out at negative videos online.

Joey has called out influencers for making fun of other people at the gym and other gym-goers for harassing people while working out.

On Thursday, March 27, Joey shared in a post on X and Instagram that he was sent a “very upsetting” video that featured a 14-year-old boy being filmed in the locker room at LA Fitness.

Joey Swoll says gym video led to teenager getting bullied

“I was sent a very upsetting video yesterday by the father of a 14-year-old boy being filmed in the locker room at LA Fitness,” he said. “A man was filming himself flexing when the boy was caught in the background looking at him. The creator then zoomed in on him multiple times to laugh at the boy and use him for the video.”

According to Swoll, comments on the viral video were full of people making fun of the boy, which was seen by people at the teenager’s school.

“The video was seen by some of the kids at the boy’s school, which led to, in the words of the father, ‘brutal torment’ and bullying, as well as the boy no longer wanting to go the gym,” he added.

Joey Swoll added that he’s going to get on a call with the boy’s father to see what he can do to help his son.

If they live close enough together, Swoll wants to bring the 14-year-old to the gym with him so he’s not afraid of going again.

“No young man or woman should ever experience what this kid has gone through OR ever be filmed in a gym locker room, PERIOD. I will update soon,” Joey said.

Joey Swoll’s lawyer takes bullied teen’s case pro bono

In a follow-up post on March 28, Swoll confirmed that he was able to get in touch with the child’s father, saying the support on his initial video made the boy “SO happy and even made his Mom cry.”

However, after contacting local law enforcement, the father said there was “nothing they could do” – but Swoll got in touch with his own lawyer, who has offered to take the case pro bono.

That’s not all; in a surprising twist of fate, Swoll discovered that the child lives just an hour away from him, so he’s planning to set up a date to work out and encourage the kiddo in-person.

“My focus and energy is on helping this young man and his parents move past this and heal,” he wrote. “Again, I want to thank ALL of you for your support for this young man and as I promised his father today, we are going to make it right.”

Joey Swoll says man has been banned from LA Fitness

In a final update posted to X, Swoll says the man who posted the video has been banned from LA Fitness, and the video has been deleted.

“The video of the boy in the locker room has been removed and the man filming has been banned from LA Fitness as well as served by my lawyer representing the boy and his parents,” he said in the post.

“Justice will be served.”

Joey shared that he talked to the boy on FaceTime and called him an “impressive young man.”

X: TheJoeySwoll

Swoll’s update has been met with praise from netizens in yet another display of his viral content being used to help make gyms a safer and more inclusive environment for all.