New law determines that gyms with 500 students or more must have a defibrillator in Fortaleza
The new legislation was published eight days after the death of professor Jeyres Nobre, aged 55, while exercising at a gym in the Dom Lustosa neighborhood.
By Editorial staff g1 CE
A new law in Fortaleza requires gyms with 500 or more students to have a defibrillator and a trained professional. The measure was published this Tuesday (22).
The law determines that registration requires filling out a physical readiness form. Positive answers will require the student to present a medical certificate.
The legislation was sanctioned after 8 deaths were recorded in gyms in Fortaleza and the metropolitan region, between July 2025 and September 2026.
Before the law, Decon charged for the use of defibrillators and medical certificates. The body relaxed the requirement as councilors were already discussing the topic.
The gym will remain closed out of respect for relatives and friends — Photo: Illustrative image/Freepik
The City of Fortaleza sanctioned a new law, approved by the City Council of Fortaleza, which requires gyms with 500 students or more to have at least one automatic external defibrillator (AED) and a trained professional to use it throughout the time the establishment is open. Gyms that do not comply with the rules may be fined between R$1,000 and R$10,000.
The new legislation, nº 11,696/26, changes the law to the previous law, nº 8,675, which established rules for the operation of gyms in Fortaleza in 2002, more than 20 years ago. The new wording, therefore, updated the rules and introduced new provisions. The text was published in the Official Gazette of the Municipality on September 22nd.
✅ Click and follow the g1 Ceará channel on WhatsApp
According to the text, gyms that meet the description of 500 or more regularly enrolled students must keep the defibrillator in an "easily accessible location, properly marked and in perfect working order". At least one professional trained in the use of equipment and first aid must be present while the gym is open.
📍The automatic external defibrillator is a portable device for cardiac emergencies. It applies a controlled electric shock to try to reverse cardiorespiratory arrests.
Furthermore, the text of the new law says that student enrollment can only occur by filling out the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire or PAR-Q, which has questions such as: "Do you feel chest pain when you practice physical activity?" and "Do you take any medication for blood pressure and/or heart problems?"
If the student answers yes to any of the questions on the form, the student will only be able to enroll upon presentation of a medical certificate clearing them to exercise.
In the case of people under 16 years of age, the form must be signed by their legal guardians.
READ ALSO:
Law against harassment in Fortaleza: find out about new obligations for gyms to protect victims
Changes after deaths
The new legislation was published eight days after the death of professor Jeyres Nobre, aged 55, who died while exercising at a gym in the Dom Lustosa neighborhood. Jeryres' death was the seventh death recorded in gyms in Fortaleza between July 2025 and September 2026.
Also after Jeyres' death, the State Consumer Protection and Defense Program (Decon), of the Public Ministry of Ceará (MPCE) even demanded that gyms start asking for a medical certificate to allow students to enroll. The agency had also requested that gyms have defibrillators.
Decon had already made the request in April, but extended the deadline for academies to adapt until October and, to g1, informed that it had made the measure more flexible because the City Council was precisely discussing new legislation on the matter.
The new law approved, however, does not make it mandatory to present a medical certificate, except in cases where students have a positive answer on the initial registration form.
Deaths at gym in Greater Fortaleza
Between July 2025 and September 2026, eight deaths were recorded in gyms in Fortaleza and Maranguape, a neighboring municipality. The last death was that of professor Jeyres Pereira Nobre, aged 55, after falling ill while exercising, on September 14th.
Remember the cases below:
Jeyres Pereira Nobre was an optometry professor in Fortaleza (CE) — Photo: Personal archive
➡️July 13, 2025: civil police officer Francisco José Alves da Silva Júnior, aged 47, died while training at a gym in Fortaleza. To g1, friends reported that he suffered a heart attack.
➡️October 13, 2025: a man identified as Cristiano Silva Honorato, aged 44, died after suffering a sudden illness at a Gaviões gym, also in Fortaleza. The cause of death was not reported.
➡️October 20, 2025: a man identified as Artur do Nascimento, aged 45, died in the same way, in another unit of the Gaviões network. The cause of death was also not reported.
➡️October 25, 2025: businesswoman Áurea Maria Rodrigues, aged 45, died during a spinning class at a Greenlife gym, in Maranguape, in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza. According to her family, she had a stroke.
➡️December 17, 2025: a student died in a SmartFit gym located on Avenida Engenheiro Santana Júnior, in the Papicu neighborhood. She received initial medical attention, but did not survive and died at the scene.
➡️April 22, 2026: Physical Education teacher Renan Guedes died in a MaxForma gym, in the Parreão neighborhood, in Fortaleza. The cause of death was not reported.
➡️August 21, 2026: 17-year-old teenager died after feeling ill at a gym in the João XXIII neighborhood, in Fortaleza.
➡️September 14, 2026: optometry professor Jeyres Pereira Nobre, aged 55, died while exercising at a Smartfit gym, in the Dom Lustosa neighborhood.
Watch the most viewed videos from Ceará:
