Peloton Faces Dual Allegations of Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Content

Fitness giant Peloton is currently facing accusations of antisemitism from two distinct fronts. One involves a lawsuit filed by a former Jewish employee who claims he was fired after raising concerns about discriminatory treatment of Jewish staff. The other stems from a recent meeting between company executives and a group of Jewish and pro-Israel advocates in New York, prompted by protests against anti-Zionist content posted by instructors associated with the brand.

The lawsuit was filed in January by Victor D'Amore, a former senior manager in Peloton's engineering team. According to the suit, the issue began in October 2024 when an Israeli-American employee expressed fear for his safety and requested to work remotely following the October 7th attacks. D'Amore approved the request and forwarded it to his superiors, including Peloton's Chief Accounting Officer, Saquib Baig. D'Amore alleges that Baig responded by saying, "I am Muslim, I was Muslim on September 11th, it was hard, for you it is easy." D'Amore further claims that Jewish employees faced differential treatment and that attempts to establish an official Jewish employee group were rejected, with management reportedly stating, "Jew is not an ethnicity, it is a religion," despite the existence of groups for Black, Latino, Asian, disabled, veteran, LGBTQ+, and women employees.

D'Amore also claims that when he reported these incidents to HR in early 2025 during another internal investigation, the matter was downplayed, the case was closed without explanation, and Baig faced no repercussions. D'Amore was subsequently fired in August while on approved parental leave, which Peloton attributed to broader workforce reductions. However, D'Amore contends he was the only one in his team to lose his job and is seeking damages for discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination.

Peloton disputes many of these claims. In its March defense filing, the company denies Baig made the alleged statement and confirms the employee's remote work request was approved. Peloton states that a "Jewish @ Peloton" group has been active since 2023 and denies D'Amore complained of "antisemitism at Peloton," though it acknowledges he mentioned Baig's alleged comment to an internal investigator. The company also states Baig was not punished because there was no justification, and denies he was promoted afterward, noting he remained Chief Accounting Officer and took on additional commercial unit responsibilities.

Regarding D'Amore's termination, Peloton claims his position was eliminated as part of a company-wide reorganization affecting over 100 employees, including other senior managers. They also state that the daily responsibilities for D'Amore's team were transferred to a Jewish employee returning from parental leave, and that the decision-makers regarding his role were unaware of his allegations against Baig.

Separately, a group of about 30 Jewish and pro-Israel advocates met with Peloton executives after instructor Adrian Williams posted an Instagram story featuring a map of "Palestine" labeled as such, alongside content from a Palestinian restaurant previously criticized for using the slogan "From the river to the sea." Williams later removed the post, stating it had the "opposite effect" he intended and that he was "listening and learning." Pro-Israel advocate Julie Paris, who attended the meeting, noted this was not an isolated incident and that other instructors had previously posted anti-Israel content. The group demanded clearer social media policies for instructors, explanations of complaint investigations, antisemitism training, and adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, which includes certain criticisms of Israel. Paris described the meeting as productive, with Peloton promising further dialogue but offering no immediate policy changes or actions against instructors. Peloton has previously taken action against antisemitism, such as removing Kanye West's music from its classes in 2022 and issuing a statement in October 2023 condemning antisemitism and terrorism.