A Canberra PhD student with an unfortunate work history that has left him in constant pain, has launched a social media campaign to keep the sauna at the Australian Institute of Sport open to the public.
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Patrick McCartney, an anthropology student at the Australian National University, was struck by a forklift in 2000, crushed by five tonnes of grapes while working at a winery in 2005 and injured in a work related high-impact collision in 2007. He said he had come to rely on the sauna for pain management therapy.
The AIS aquatic centre has announced that as of March 17 the sauna will no longer be open to members of the public.
''This decision has been made following a risk assessment of the use of the sauna, which took into account recent incidents and the sauna's isolated location,'' a spokesman said.
He cited ''two recent incidents that could have led to serious emergency with single users collapsing''.
Casual visitors to the centre can currently use the pool, sauna and spa for $10 a visit. Mr McCartney believes this is cheap at the price.
''Each [of my] accident[s] has required serious rehabilitation that has lasted for more than a year,'' he said.
''From all three accidents I am left in constant chronic pain. I have [also] been battling with chronic fatigue syndrome since 2001.''
Mr McCartney said sauna use was one of the ''most beneficial'' treatments he had tried and the AIS facility had been ideal for his needs due to its excellence and proximity to his home.
''[Canberra] has a significant lack of similar premises to patronise,'' he said. ''For many patrons of this facility, who suffer from a wide array of physical complaints including cancer, arthritis, chronic illness and pain, the sauna not only provides relief and healing, it is also a valuable social network.''
Mr McCartney said it was unreasonable that others should suffer because of one or two isolated incidents.
''Regardless of who is at fault here, why does the larger public have to suffer? If litigation is a concern then making people sign a waiver is the answer.''
Mr McCartney said as the AIS facilities were being funded by the public they should be made available to the public.
''This is not just about access to a sauna,'' he said. ''It extends to a discourse regarding the overprotective 'nanny state'.''
The petition can be viewed on the change.org/en-AU website. It had received 82 signatures by 1pm on Monday. Copies of the petition are being sent to Minister for Sport and Health, Peter Dutton, Australian Sports Commission chief Simon Hollingsworth and AIS assistant director Ali Parvizi.
The AIS spokesman said aquatic centre management understood regular sauna users would be disappointed.
''Management apologises for any inconvenience that this closure may cause,'' he said. ''Sauna use will remain available for national sporting organisations. The sauna will only be turned on during these bookings times and usage will be fully supervised by NSO personnel.''